556 LARUS AUGENTATUS. 



^, its claw -j^ ; second toe IjV, its claw -j^ ; tliird toe il^, 

 its claw -j^ ; fourth toe 2^, its claw -^. 



There is no real difference, I think, between such birds 

 and those of smaller size. Were we to distinguish species 

 by characters so slight as they exhibit, we might fall into the 

 same mistake as M. Brehm, who, according to M. Temminck, 

 formed six species, viz., the Great, Grey, Silvor-gi-ey, Silver- 

 blue-grey, Kleine, and American Silver-Gulls, out of " two 

 large parcels of Herring Gulls which I sent to him. Most of 

 these individuals Avere killed on our sea-coasts, and known to 

 be only Lari argentati, bvit selected, on purpose, from a mul- 

 titude of individuals, varying more or less from each other in 

 size, dimensions of parts, and the blue parts of the plumage." 

 The Western Gull, Larus occidentalis, which I described in 

 Mr. Audubon's jfifth volume, seemed to me distinct from 

 specimens procured on the eastern side of North America ; 

 yet, as will be seen from its description and dimensions, it 

 differs little from those described above. Yet it is quite 

 possible that several distinct species may be confounded under 

 the common name of Larus argentatus. It is only, however, 

 by closely observing the habits of individuals of these different 

 sizes that one can obtain certainty on the subject. With us 

 the very large individuals are comparatively rare, and keep 

 somewhat separate from the rest. Upon the whole, I cannot 

 affirm whether they really form a distinct species, or are 

 merely large birds of Larus argentatus. 



