LARID.E — THE GULLS AND TERNS — LARD'S. ^23 



distinguished by the very differently shaped bill, the paler color of the mantle, and the totally different 

 markings of the primaries. It is, in fact, much more closely allied to the larger race of L. anj, ntatus, 

 the principal difference consisting in the brownish gray, and much more restricted, instead of black, 

 spaces on the primaries. In all examples of L. argentatus we have been able to examine, the black 

 portion of the primaries involves a considerable portion of the inner webs ; but in the present bird 

 the darker color is confined almost entirely to the outer web, the inner webs being pale pearl-gray, 

 like the mantle, and fading into white at the end of the quills. 



It is barely possible that this specimen may represent a very old argentatus with the black 

 faded to brownish gray, and unusually restricted on account of great age ; but until this can lie 

 proven we prefer to keep it separate. At any rate, Larus Nelsnni apparently holds exactly the 

 same relation to Larus argentatus Smithsonianus that /.. Kumlieni does to the smaller race of the 

 Hen-in- Gull. 



Larus glaucescens. 



THE GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL. 



Larus glaucescens, Naum. Naturg. Vug. Dentschl. X. 1810, 351. — Lawu. in Baud's 1'.. N. Am. 1858, 

 842. — BAIKD.Cat. N.Am. B. 1859, no. 657. —Coves, Pr. Ac. Xat. Sci. Philad. 1S62, 295 ; Key, 

 1872, 311; Check List, 1873, no. 515 ; 2d ed. 1882, no. 770 ; B. N. W. 1874, 623. — Saundebs, 

 1'. Z. S. 1878, 167. — Ridow. Nom. X. Am. li. 1881, no. 662. 



Larus (Glaucus) glaucopterus, "Kittlitz," Brucii, .1. f. 0.1853,101. 



"Larus chalcopterus," Lawr, in Baird's 1'.. X. Am. ls.'.S, 843 (not of Licht. 1S54). — BAIRD, Cat. 

 X. Am. B. 1859, no. 659. — Coues, Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1S62, 295. 



Had. North Pacific coast of North America, from Washington Territory to Alaska. 



Sp. Char. Adult, in summer : Mantle delicate pearl-blue (deeper than in leucopterus); prima- 

 ries similar, becoming slightly darker (the fourth and fifth abruptly) terminally, all abruptly tipped 

 with white ; the outer quill with the tip and a space of an inch or more in extent anterior to a 

 sulitermiual deep ashy spot white ; the sixth with a broad subterminal bar of deep ash, preceded 

 and followed by white spaces. Rest of the plumage, including almost all the exposed portion 

 of the secondaries, snow-white. Adult, in winter: Similar, but head and neck clouded (!) with 

 sooty grayish. Young, first ;</»/»<<;/..■ Prevailing color deep ash-gray, nearly uniform below, re- 

 lieved above by a coarse irregular spotting of grayish white, or pah- dull hull, the head and neck 

 indistinctly streaked. Primaries and rectrices pale brownish gray, with somewhat of a glaucous 

 cast. Bill wholly dusky, brownish basally ; legs and feet brownish. Young, first winter: .Mantle 

 mixed brownish ash and pearl-blue ; primaries and tail uniform brownish ash-gray ; head, neck, 

 and lower parts grayish white, clouded with brownish gray, the lower surface neatly uniform 

 brownish gray. Bill yellowish on basal half and tip, the intermediate portion dusky black ; legs 

 and feet pale brownish (in skin). 



Wing, 16.25-17.30 (average, 16.92) inches ; tail, 7.50-8.25 (7.S1) ; culmen, 2.20-2.60 (2. 12) ; 

 depth of bill through angle, .80-.90 (.82) ; tarsus, 2.35-2.90 (2.62) ; middle toe, 2.05-2.45 (2.25). 

 (Six adults.) 



In this species the form of the bill approaches decidedly to that so characteristic of /.. occi- 

 dentalis and L. dominicanus, the angle being very prominent and the depth through lie 1m e 

 proportionally narrow. 



This large and handsome Gull bears a very close resemblance to, and is very nearly 

 as large as, the Burgomaster Gull of the Atlantic coasts. It appears to replace I aa1 

 species in the southern portions of the Pacific waters. It is found on the northea tern 

 coasts of Asia, and on the entire Pacific coast of North America almost as far south 

 as the Mexican line. In most respects its habits appear to bear a very close resem- 

 blance to those of the glaucus, but it is not so exclusively northern as that species. 

 It is abundant along the Arctic Ocean as far to the west as the Mackenzie Eiver, 

 along the banks of which it was found by Mr. Ross. It was met with on the shores 



