WATER BIRDS. 



53 



waters by several good observers. S. E. White reports seeing it at Grand 

 Rapids, March 28, 1890, and calls it a very rare migrant at Mackinac 

 Island. Covert reports it at St. Clair Flats April 9, 1875; and the late Dr. 

 J. W. Velie informed us that he had taken it personally at Chicago, 111., 

 and had seen it at St. Joseph, Berrien county, Mich., "several times in winter 

 and spring within the past ten years. There is no possibility of mistaking 

 the species when seen near at hand.'' While within our limits its habits 

 are like those of the other large gulls, although it is said to be more wary 

 than any other species. 



It nests in the far north and its eggs are similar to those of the Glaucous 

 Gull, and average 3.05 by 2.12 inches. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Mantle dark slate; primaries mostly black with white tips or white spots near the tips; 

 rest of the bird pure white. This is the adult in summer plumage. In winter the adult 

 is quite similar, but the head and neck are more or less streaked with dusky brown. The 

 immature bird, as large as the adult, is usually not dark colored all over, sometimes dark 

 brown mottled with rusty or whitish, sometimes much lighter beneath and with the throat 

 nearly unspotted. The primaries and tail are blackish-brown, the primaries tipped with 

 white and the tail with a whitish bar near the end. 



Length, 28 to 31 inches; wing, 17.60 to 19.50; culmen, 2.40 to 2.60. 



14. Herring Gull. Larus argentatus Pont. (51) 



Synonyms: Common Gull, Harbor Gull, Sea Gull, Lake Gull. — Larus argentatus of 

 most authors until 1862. — -Larus smithsonianus, Coues, 1862. — Larus argentatus var. 

 smithsonianus, Coues, 1874, and most subsequent authors. 



Known commonly by its large size, white plumage with pearl gray 

 mantle, and wing tips largely black. 



Distribution. — Northern Hemisphere, south in winter to 

 the Azores, Cuba, and lower California; breeding from 

 Maine, northern New York, the Great Lakes and Minne- 

 sota northward. 



Commonest of the large gulls 'and the one usually 

 seen about lake ports and harbors everywhere during 

 the colder half of the year. Formerly it nested abund- 

 antly at many places on Lake Michigan and Lake 

 Huron, but has been driven from most of its [south- 

 ern nesting grounds and is now restricted to a few 

 favorable localities in the northern parts of these lakes 

 and along the shores and islands of Lake Superior. It 

 builds a bulky nest of grasses, weeds, twigs, and other 

 rubbish, often lined with moss, and lays three or four 

 heavily spotted eggs which average 2.85 by 2.01 inches. 

 Its favorite nesting place is some small island remote from 

 the mainland or more or less inaccessible for one reason 

 or another. In regions where it has been much persecuted 

 it has been known to place its nests on the branches or tops 

 of ever-green trees, but we have never known them to be 

 so placed in the Great Lake region. The young leave the 

 nest within a few days after they are hatched, but very 

 likely return to the nest at night. They take to the water 

 long before they can fly, and although they swim beauti- ^^f;^- cuu^redu^ed' 

 fully make no attempt to dive. (Original.) 



