LARUS ARGENTATUS, HERRING GULL. 625 



Primaries and tail deep brownish-black, the former tipped, subterminally barred, and 

 its outer feather mottled, with whitish. 



iJimerisions.—'Lenth, 30.00 inches ; extent, 65.00 ; wiug from the carpus, 18.50 ; bill 

 above, 2.50 ; rictus, 3..50 ; height at nostril, 0.85 ; at angle, 0.95; tarsus, 3.00; middle 

 toe and claw slightly less. 



The very large size of this bird and its dark colors at once separate it from any other 

 of North America, and render comparisons nuuecessary. 



I cannot uuderstand the following statement of Audubon (B. Am. vii, p. 178) : "The 

 most remarkable circumstance relative to these birds is, that they either associate with 

 another species, giving rise to a hybrid breed, or that when very old they lose the dark 

 color of the back, which is then of the same tint as that of L. argciifafus, or even 

 lighter." It is ditticult to understand how Audubon could have entertained such an 

 opinion. That the marinits should accidentally hybridize with argcutatiis or glauciis is 

 not impossible, though improbable ; but to suppose that it regularly does so. or that 

 it " grows gray " with the advancing years, seems unreasonable. Audubon's state- 

 ment that the Lurim argentatus {smithaonianus) is not found on the Labrador coast, is 

 equally erroueous. 



Botli Bonaparte and Bruch give several species of Dominicanus, all more or less closely 

 allied with tiie present. The species found in North America is the true marinus of 

 Linmeus, whatever may be said of the relationships of the others. 



For so long known a species the present has remarkably few synonyms, owing to the 

 many distinctive characters presented by it. Kfcvius of Gnjelin, and also probably 

 macuJaiiis of Boddiert, are based upon the immature bird. MacuJatus of Briiunich, 

 however, caunot be this species, since it is said to be of the same size as L, canus. As 

 usual, several nominal species have been instituted by Brehm. 



LAEUS AEGENTATUS, Biiinn. 



Herring Gull. 



a. argentatus. 



Lzrus cinereus. Briss., Orn. vi, 1760, 160, pi. 14. 



Larus argentatus, BKtJNX., Orn. Bor. 1764, 44.— Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788,600.— Tejoi., Man. 

 1820, 764 ; iv, 1840, 470.— Boie, Isis, 1822, 562.— Wolf & Mkv., Zusiit. Tasch. 

 1822, 195.— Stkpii., Gen. Zool. xiii, 1826, 191.— Flem., Br. An. 1828, 140.— Jen., 

 Man. 1835, 276.— Eyt., Cat. 18H6, 52.— Bi'., List, 1838, 63.— Keys. & Bl.\.s., Wirb. 

 Eur. i, 1840, 96.— Macgil., Man. ii, 1842, -246.- Schl., Rev. Crit. 1844, 124.— 

 Degl., Orn. Eur. ii, 1849, 306.— Gu.w, Gen. of B. iii, 1849, 654 ; List Br. B. 1863 

 232.— Haktl., Syst. Orn. W. Afr. 1857, 251.— Sche., Mus. P.-B. iv, 1863, Lari, 16 

 (includes the other varieties). — Bocage, Joru. Sc. Lisbon, 1868, 149, 330. — 

 Blas., J. f. O. 1865, 380 (unites leucophieus, michahellesii, and cavlnnuanft). — 

 Dress., B. Eur. pt. — , pi. — . 



Laroidcs argetitatits, Brehm, V. D. 1831, 740. — Bruch, J. f. O. 1855, 282. — Bp., Cousp. ii, 

 1856, 218 ; Naum. 1854, 212. 



Glancus argentatus, Bruch, J. f. O. 1853, 101. 



Lams fiiscus, Penx., Brit. Zool. ii, 1768, 131. — Xec Auctt. — MoNT., Orn. Diet. 1802. 



Goeland d mantean gris, Buff., Hist. Nat. Ois. viii, 1781, 406, pi. 32.— P. E. 253. 



Larus marinus, var. /3., Lath., Ind. Orn. ii, 1790, 814. 



LaruH glaucus, Retz., Fn. Suec. i, 1800, 1.56.— Wolf & Mey., Tasch. ii, 1810, 471. — 

 Benick., Ann. Wett. Ges. Nat. iii, 1812, 138.— Temm., Man. 1815, 493 (partly).— 

 Kec AuciT. 



Larus argentcns, Bhehm, Beit. Vogc-lk. iii, 1822, 781, 799. 



LarohUs argcnteus, Brehm, V. 1). 1831, 741. 



Larus argentatoidcs, Brehm, Beit. Vogelk. 1822, 791, 799 (partly). 



Laroidcs argentatoidcs, Brehm, V. D. 1831, 742. 



Larun argentatoides.TuoMVs., 1*. Z. S. 1835, 83 (Ireland). 



Laroidcs major, liREH.M, V. D. 1831, 738. 



Laroidcs argentaceus, Breilm, V. D. 1831, 742. — Br., Cousp. ii, 1856, 218. 



b. smithsoniamis. 



Larus argcntaioides, Brehm, Beitr. Viigelk. 1822, 791, 799 (in part; "Gornianv and 

 America.")— (?)Bi'., Syn. 1828,360, No. 299 (may be dvtan-arcnsis).—C)k\\.&. 

 Ricit., F. B. A. ii, 1831, 417 (may V)e caUfornicus).—iicuisy., Eur. Fn. i, 1840, li80 

 ("North America"). — I5i'., Rev.' Zool. 1H.")5, 16 ("North America"). 



Glaucus argentatoidcs, Bisucn, J. f O. 1H53, lOl ("North America"). 



Laroidcs argentatoidcs, Br., Naum. 18.54, 212 ("North America"); Consp. ii, 1856, 218.— 

 Bruch, J. f. O. 1855, 282 ("North America"). 



40 



