230 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Larus argentatus smithsonianus Coues. 



AMEEICAN HERRING GULL. 



Popular synomyms. Sea Gull; Gray Gull (young). 



Larus argentatoides Bbehm, Beitr. Vog. iii. 1822, 791. 799 (part).— Sw. &Rich. F. B.-A. ii' 



1831. 417 (?). 

 Larus argentatus Bonap. Synop. 1828, 360, No. 300 (not of Linn.).— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 304 — 

 Aud. Orn. Biog. iii, 1835, 588; v, 1839, 638; Synop. 1839, 328; Synop. 1839, 328; B, Am. vii, 

 1844, 163, pi. 448— Lawk, in Baird's B. N. Am. 1858. 844.— BAiRD.Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 

 661.— Coues, Key, 1872, 312.— Saunders, P. Z. S. 1878, 167 (part). 

 Larus smithsonianus Coues, Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 1862, 296. 



Larus argentatus, var. smithsonianus Coues, Check List, 1873, No. 547 b. 



Larus argentatus, b. smithsonianus Coues, B. N. W. 1874, 625. 



Larus argentatus smithsonianus Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, No. 666 a; Man. N. Am. 



B. 1887. 31.-Coues, 2d Check List, 1882, No. 773— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 51 a. 

 Larus argentatus, fi. smithsonianus B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 235. 



Hab. North America in general, more especially the Atlantic coast, where extending 

 from Labrador to Cuba; breeding from eastern Maine northward; frequent throughout the 

 interior, on the larger inland waters, and occasional on the Pacific coast. 



Subsp. Char. Similar to true L. argentatus, but averaging larger, and adult with the 

 white on the outer quill crossed by a subterminal bar or spot of black, this rarely less than 

 .50,of an inch wide, and often extending to the extreme tip, thus reducing the white to a 

 subterminal spot. 



Length, 22.50-26.00 inches; wing, 16.25-17.50 (average, 17.24); culmen, 1.95-2.50 (2.24) ; depth 

 of bill through angle, .68-.85 (.79); tarsus, 2.30-2.80 (2.57), middle toe, without claw, 1.85-2.25 (2.10). 



The character of the markings on the outermost quill is more 

 to be depended on as a distinctive character of the American 

 Herring Gull than the difference of size, which is far less con- 

 stant, many specimens, especially among those from Cumber- 

 land Gulf a,nd other extreme northeastern localities combining 

 the smaller size of the European with the wing pattern of the 

 American bird. 



With perhaps the exception of the Ring billed Gull (Z. clela- 

 warensis), this is the commonest gull of eastern North America 

 in general, and the only one which is found in considerable num- 

 bers during winter on the waters, both coast and inland, of the 

 United States east of the Rocky Mountains. 



It breeds from the coast of Maine and southern Minnesota 

 northward, and winters nearly throughout the country to the 

 southward. According to Professor Cooke* it was seen at Chicago 

 in the winter of 1888-84, and usually a few winter on Lake 

 Michigan. As a rule it is found in winter throughout Illinois 



* Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley, p. 55. 



