THE GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. 713 



WHILE one of tlie most abundant species thruout the islands and coasts 

 of Alaska, these birds are somewhat erratic in their winter dispersion, altho 

 keeping in the main as far north as possible. Specimens are occasionally sighted 

 on the Straits of Juan de Fuca, where they join the crowd of gulls accompam-- 

 ing outgoing steamers; and there are several records of their occurrence at 

 Ijellinghani. In December and January of 1898-99. Mr. A. W. Anthony saw 

 them "by the dozens" in the harbor and about the garbage dump of Seattle, 

 and supposed that they were characteristic species, but we ha\-e never seen 

 them so far south. 



Of their occurrence in Alaska Air. E. \\'. Xelson savs : "The\' jiursue their 

 prey in the same graceful manner as the terns, by hovering o\er the water and 

 plunging down head-foremost. It is an extremely interesting sight to watch a 

 large flock passing o\-er calm water in this manner. They are limited strictly 

 to tide-water and rarely ascend even the Yukon delta over a few miles. 



"Thruout its range this species has considerable curiosity and comes 

 circling about any strange intruder to its haunts. In the bay at Saint Michaels 

 they were frequently seen following a school of white whales, e\-idently to 

 secure such fragments of fish or other food as the whales dropped in the water. 

 It is curious to note how well the birds timed the whales and anticipated their 

 appearance as the latter came up tn blow." 



No. 290. 



GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. 



A. O. U. No. 44. Larus glaucescens Xanm. 



Synonyms. — Coji.mox Gull. Hakbor Gull. Blue Gull. Burgo.m.aster 

 (name properly restricted to L. glauciis). 



Description. — Adult in summer: Mantle pearl-gray ("of about the same 

 shade as that of L. argentatiis) : wing-tip chiefly gray, of about the color of 

 back — in particular: ist primary nearly uniform pearl-gray with a large sub- 

 terminal spot of white on both webs, separated by .gray band from white tip, 

 2nd, 3rd, and 4th primaries ashy gray terminally, changing thru white (nar- 

 rowly) to pearl-gray of basal portion, tipped with white: 3th and 6th as in 

 preceding, but ashy gray subterminal portion narrower, and contiguous white 

 broader : remaining primaries and secondaries color of back with broad white 

 tips. Remaining plumage pure white : bill yellow, a rounded spot of bright 

 vermilion at angle of lower mandible, this usually shadowed above by a dusky 

 spot (this dusky spot is the last persistent trace of adolescence: it is sometimes 

 larger than the red spot in specimens otherwise perfectly adult, and only the 

 oldest birds are entirely without it ) ; feet dull flesh-pink, or pale purplish rosy ; 

 irides brown, of varying shade. Adult in zvinter: Head, neck, and breast, but 

 not throat, obscurelv (or, rarelv, heavilv ) clouded with light gravish duskv. 



