LARIDiE — THE GULLS AND TERNS. 229 



Larus marinus, var. jj Lath. Ind. Orn. ii, 1790,814. 



Larus glaucus Retz. Fn. Suee. i, 1800, 156 (not of Bbunn. 1764). 



Larus argenteus Brehm, Beitr. Vog. iii, 1822, 781, 799 (part). 



Larus argentatoides Beehm, t. c. 791, 799 (part). 



Laroides major Beehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831. 738. 



Laroides argeutaceus Beehm, t. c. 742. 



? Ijaroides americanus Bkehm, Vog. Deutschl. 1831, 713. 



Goeland a manteau gris Buff. Hist. Nat. Ois. viii. 1781, 406, pi. 32: PI. Enl. 253, 



Hab. Europe and northeastern North America (casual only ?). 



Sp. Chae. Adult, in summer: Mantle pale pearl-blue (a shade darker than inL. glauces- 

 cens), the secondaries and tertials passing terminally into white. Outer primary black, 

 more slaty basally, the tip white, and a large white terminal spot across the inner, and 

 sometimes the outer, web; next quill black tipped with white, and usually without any 

 white except the apical spot; third, fourth, and lifth quills similar, but the basal half, or 

 more, light pearl- gray (this extending farther on the inner web), the line of demarcation 

 sharply defined; sixth quill light pearl-gray, broadly tipped with white, this preceded by a 

 broad subterminal space of black, widest on the outer web; seventh quill similar, but the 

 black much more restricted, and confined to the outer web; remaining p imaries pale 

 pearl- gray, passing gradually into white at ends. Remainder of the plumage snow-white. 

 Bill deep chrome- or wax-yellow, with a large spot of bright red near the end ot the mandi- 

 ble; eyelids blight yellow; iris silvery white or pale yellow; legs and feet flesh-color, 

 claws brownish black. Adult in winter: Similar, but head and neck, except underneath, 

 6treaked with dusky grayish. "The bill is pure yellow, the lower mandible wil h an orange- 

 red patch toward the end; the edges of the eyelids yellow; the iris pale yellow: the feet 

 flesh-colored; the claws brownish black" (JIacgilliveay). Young, first plumage: Pre- 

 vailing color brownish ash, nearly uniform below, the head and neck streaked with while; 

 upper parts variegated by borders to the feathers and irregular spots of pale grayish buff; 

 primary coverts, remiges. and rectrices blackish dusky. "The bill is bluish black, the base 

 of the lower mandible flesh-colored" (Macgilliveay). 1 Downy young: Grayish white, 

 the lower parts (except throat) immaculate; head marked with irregular spots of black, in- 

 definitely distributed; back, wings, and rump clouded with dusky grayish. Bill black, the 

 end yellowish; feet brownish. 



Total length, about 23.00 inches; wing, 15.75-17.90 (average, 16.38); culmen, 1.85-2.20(2.07); 

 depth of bill through angle, .72-.80 (.77); tarsus, 2.30-2.72 (2.50); middle toe, 1.90-2.25 (2.07). 



The true Herring Gull is included in the list of Illinois birds 

 on the strength of a specimen obtained at Chicago, March 27, 

 1876, formerly in Mr. Nelson's collection, which some yens ago 

 was i<l<Mii ified by Dr. Coues as belonging to this Form. The 

 specimen should, however, be re-examined, since the separation 

 of the ordinary American bird (/.. wgentatw smithsonianus) now 

 rests on characters different, in part a1 least, from those on 

 which the separation \\;is originally made 



lAfternexi moult. "The bill is dull yellow, with a dusky patch on each mandible, and 

 a little red on the Lower; the Iris yellow; the feel flesh-colored." (M wi.n.i.n .. 



* ac dins to Mr. Nelson {Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, vol. 1, p. 41), the Iris of this specimen 



was "hazel." Ifthis was really tl ase (which there is no reason for doubting), the sp 



men can hardly have been /. . argentatus In either of its forms, whioh, when adult (the bird 

 in Question was an adult female), always has the Irisyelli has a dark 



brown or hazel iris, an possibly be that species; at any rat.' the case Is 01 



Biderable tmpi ■> tanoe and I he Bpeolmen should, if it can be tn ixamined, 



