HERRING GLLL. lo 



DESt'RIl'TION OF NESTS AND EtajS. 

 Nests, placed im riK-ky cliffs, cimi|)os3il uf sticks, 'sea-weeds etc. Eyi/s, three or four in numher, oval in fc:nn, varying 

 f'voin bluish-white to deep yellowish-brown in color, spotted and blotched with reddish-brown and lilac of varying shades. 

 Dimensions from O^Osd-'J.') to 2-3;) i 3-O0. 



IIAniTS. 

 The Great Bla(k-l>;ukrii Gulls are quite coimnoii ahmo- mir northern coast, bocomiiii; 

 rare, however, to the .southward, but occur quite to Florida. 01' all shy birds, these large 

 Gulls arc the shyest, it bein": ditficult to walk within rifle range, cspf^cially of mature 

 birds. They are fond of haunting sand-bars that are left exposed by the filling tide, but 

 will rise at high water to fi.sh. These Gulls, like many other species, are fond of the vari- 

 ous species of echinodernis, or sea urchins, as well as mollusks, and in order to break them 

 open, will fly with their booty to a great height, then let it f dl upon the rocks below. The 

 notes of the Great Black-backs are not only harsh but loud, and are uttered most frequent- 

 ly, during storms, when their wild cries, coming to the car amid the sounds of .shrieking 

 winds and dashing breakers, produce a singularly weird effect, though in perfect keeping 

 with the fury of the elements. The southernmost breeding grounds of the Black-backs, is 

 a little, rocky island in the Bay of Fundy, the toji of which is so high as to be almost in- 

 accessible. Perce Rock, in Gaspe Basin, is another resort for them, but I do not know 

 of any more this side of Labrador. 



liARiJS ARGENTATUS. 

 Herring Giill. 



Lotus arijentatus Bruno., Urn. Bor.; 1704, 44. 

 DESCRIPTION. 

 Sp Cn. Form, robust. Size, large. Coi.oii. Adult. Back and entire wings, light pearly blue. Primaries, tipped 

 with white which ispreceded and banded with black. Secondaries and tertiarins aUo tipped with white. Iris, yellowish- 

 white, bill, yellow, with a vermilion spot near tip of under mandible, and Icet, pinkish. In winter. Similar but the head 

 and neck are .streaked with dusky. Youny, dark ashy-hrown throughout, more or le-is mottled with white. Bill, black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Known in theadult stage by the large size and white tipped primaries which are l>lack banded, and young by the dark 

 colors. Distributed, in summer, from Massachusetts, northward. Winters from Maine to Florida. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 .\verage uieasurenicnts of specimen'-. Length, •24'25; stretch, Se-.W; wing, 17'00; tail, 6'5n; bill, 2-3S; taisus, 2'13. 

 Longesi specimen, 26-00; greatest cctent of wing, 59-CO; longest wing, 18-00; tail, 7-00; bill, 2-75; tar.sus, 2-25 Shortest 

 .specimen, 22 50; .smallest extent of wing, 54-00; shortest wing, lfi-00; tail, fi-00; bill, 2-05; tarsus, 205. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground, on rocky clifl's, and in trees, composed of sticks, sea-weed.s. etc. Hyijs, three or four in 

 number, oval in form, varying from hhiish-vvhite to deep yellowish-brown in color, spotted and blotched with brown and 

 lilac of varying shades. Diiuension.s from 1 -SO.'; 2-70 to 2-05x2-90. 



HABITS. 



The Herring Gulls ;ire the most abundant of all the genus on our .shores, frequenting 



every harbor and river mouth along the entire coast, and gtithering by thoustinds on the 



sand-biirs to rest, or during storms, resorting to the flats. Their notes are not quite as 



harsh tis those of the preceding species, but resemble them somewhat. Herring Gulls are 



very ,shy, and even when breeding, take good care to keep out of gun shot, although they 



display considenible solicitude for the safety of their eggs. It is probable that these birdi 



formerly nested on the coast of Massachusetts, north of Cape Ann, but now they do not 



breed nearer than the coast of iNIaine. The eggs are deposited about the first of June, and 



the nests are placed on rocky cliffs, in marshes, or in trees. The habit of building their 



