956 



Fiiiuily 5. TTakmatoi'odidaiv. Oystercatchers. 



The only member of tliis family which is represented in the State is 



283. Black Oystercatcher. 



Faiiiilv C>. I'liAi.AUopoDiDAi;. Phalaropes. 



Birds of this group arc readily distinguished by the lobate toes. It indicates their habit of spending 

 much time on open water swimming readily. Most of them are strikingly colored birds. 



I. Bill heavy, wider than deep. 284. Red Chalarope. 



II. Bill slender. 



.A. .SnialUr. less than S inches long. 285. Northern Phalarope. 



R. l.ar.^er. more than 9 inches long. 286. Wilson's Phalarope. 



Okdi;r II. LOXT.IPEXXES. Culls, Terns, Jaegers. 



family I. Sti-;rcokariiuai-:. Jaegers. 



These are the birds of prey among the gull-like birds. Their bill is strongly hooked, and the birds 

 are possessed of great powers of flight. They steal the catch from the .gulls. 



I. Lengthened middle tail feathers broad and rounded. 287. Pomarine Jaeger. 



II. Lengthened niiddle tail feathers pointed. 



A. Length about 17 inches. 288. Parasitic Jaeger. 



B. Length about 21 inches. B. C. & H. 20. Long-tailed Jaeger. 



Pamilv 2. L.vRiDAi;. (lulls and Terns. 



Siihfainily. L.\ki.\ai;. Gulls. 



The Gulls dififer from the Terns in having a square tail and in carrying the head in a line with the 

 body, the bill pointing forward. They are great scavengers, none being in the least harmful. 



I. Length usually over 21 inches. 



A. Larger, back pearl-gray, primaries without black. 



1. Largest, palest, wings broadly white on tip. B. C. &H. 21. (ilaucous Oull. 



2. Medium, wing chiefly gray on tip. 



a. Second primary narrowly tipped with white. 290. Olaucous=\vinged (lull. 



b. Second primary gray to tip. H.41. Nelson's Gull. 



B. Smaller, back deep pearl gray to plumbeous, w'ing with 



black on tip. 



1. Black of wing more restricted, mantle plumbeous slate. 291. Western (iull. 



2. Mantle lighter, black of wing more extended. 



a. Smaller, feet yellowish. 294. California (iull. 



b. Larger, fect^ flesh-colored. 



d). ^lantle deep pearl-gray. 292. Herring (iull. 



(2). Mantle plumbeous gray. 293. Vega (jull. 



II. Length under 21 inches. 



.•\. Entirely pure white. B. C. & H. 22. l\ory Oull. 



B. Entire body slaty or sooty "black, head and neck white in 297. Heermann's 'iull. 



summer. 



C. Back pearl-gray or brownish ; underparts white or lighter. 



1. Tail slightly forked.' 299. Sabine's Gull. 



2. Tail square. 



a. Bill light, a black band across it. 295. Ring-billed (iull. 



b. Bill li.gbt, a red spot near its tip. 294. California (iull. 



c. Bill without a black band or red spot. 



(i). Hind toe scarcely more than a knob. 289. Pacific Kittiwake. 



(2). Hind toe short but well developed, 

 (a). Length more than 16 inches, 

 (a')- Gray wedge on inner web of third quill 296. Short=billed Gull. 



terminated with white, 

 (b'). Wedge not terminated with white. H. 42. Mew (iull. 



; (b). Length about 14 inches. 298. Bonaparte's Oull. 



