FRANKIJN'S GT'LL. 47 



OBSERVATIONS. 

 Quite similar to L. leucoptenis, but differs in having the clearly defined sub-terminal bands on the pri- 

 maries. Breeds on the American coast of the North Atlantic, migrating south in winter as far as New 

 York, wliere it is rare, however. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length, -JliDO to L'4-(X): wing, l.'rOO to 17-0(); tail, (v.oO to 7-0i): bill, I'CO to I'SO; tarsus, 2-20 to S'W 



HABITS. 

 Kiimlein's Gull is one of our rare, though probaI)ly constant, winter visitors. It is a 

 recently described species, its identity bi>ing discovered by Mr. William Brewster, and its 

 liabits are but little known. 



' LARUS FRANKLINI. 



Franklin's Gull. 



Larus FRANKLINI Sw. & Ricii. F. Bor. Am., Birds, ISol, p. 424. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sp. Oil. Size, medium. Form, rather slender, about that of L. atricilla but the size is smaller. 



CoLOK. Adult. Back and wings dark plumbeouj. Head dark plumbeouB black, with a white spi-t on 

 each eyelid. Primaries, bluish gray, broadly tipped with white; the five outer quills having a sub-terminal 

 band of black ; shafts, white. Tail, white, with the middle feathers tipped with bluish. Beneath, white, 

 strongly tinted (in life) with rosaceous. Bill, bright red. Iris, brown. 



Winter adult. Similar to the spring dress, but the head is white, tinged with dusky around tlie eyes, 

 on ear coverts, and occiput. The bill and feet are duller red. 



Young. Above, including top and sides of head, excepting forehead and lores, grayish brown, with 

 the longer scapularies bordered with buff. Rimp, white, bluish gray in the center. Primaries, dusky, 

 tipped with white. Upper tail coverts and lower parts, white. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known in the adult stage from the Laughing Gull by the smaller size, purer red bills, darker colors of 

 the mantle, and white spot on the eyelids. Young birds may be distinguished by the length of the tarsus, 

 which is equal to the middle toe with claw, or shorter ; whereas in L. atricilla the tarsus is always longer 

 than the middle toe with Glaw. Distributed, during the breeding season, from Iowa northward : migrating 

 southward, mainly west of the Mississippi, as far south as Peru ; accidental iti the West Indies. 



DIMENSIONS. 

 Length, 13-50 to 1.0 -00; wing, 11 -00 to llvx); tail, 4-.")0 to ;r(X) ; bill, l-2r> to 1-40 ; tarsus, l.OO to l-ti.">. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 

 Nests, placed on the ground in marshy places, composed of sticks, grass, etc. Eggs, two or three in 

 number, oval in form, pale grayish green, light drab, or olive, in color, rather obscurely spotted and blotcheil 

 with dark brown. Dimensions, 1 -45 x 2-00 to 1 ■',() x 2-2.V 



HABITS. 

 In habit this .species does not appear to differ greatly from other marsh-breed iug 

 Gulls. It is of rare occurrence east of the Missi.ssippi River, only stragglers aitpearing 

 within our limits durinu; migration. 



