230 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES. 



Little is known of the habits of this bird, which has been confounded by authors with various 

 other species, as is indicated by the above synonymy. The only complete specimen which I have 

 been able to examine is the type described above, and which I have been kindly allowed the privi- 

 lege of describing in advance of the publication of Dr. Stejneger's description intended for the next 

 number of the " The Auk.'' A much fuller account than that herein given will be published with 

 Dr. Stejneger's important report upon the birds of the Commander Islands, now in course of 

 preparation. 



Larus occidentalis. 



THE WESTERN GULL. 



Larus occidental!;:, Am. Om. Biog. V. 1839, 320; Synop. 1839, 328; B. Am. VII. 1844, 161.— 

 Lawr. in Band's B. N. Am. 185S, 845. — Baird, Cat. N.Am. 1S59, no. 662. —Elliot. Illustr. 

 Am. B. II. pi. 52.— Coues, Br. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1862, 296 ; 2d Check List, 1882, no. 774. 

 — Saunders, P. Z. S. 1878, 172. — Kidgw. Norn. N. Am. 15. 1881, no. 664. 



Larus argentatus, var. occidentalis, CoUES, Key, 1872, 312; Check List, 1873, no. 547 6. 



Larus aryentu tits, c. occidentalis, Codes, B. N. W. 1874,626. 



"Larus fuscusi" Saunders, P. Z. S. 1875, 15S (L. Calif.). 



Had. Pacific coast of North America, breeding from Southern California, northward. 

 Sp. Char. Bather smaller than L. argentatus, except the bill, which is proportionally larger, 

 with the angle of the mandible much more prominent; colors much darker. Adult, in summer : 

 Mantle deep plumbeous, the secondaries and tertials very broadly (for one inch or more), and 



abruptly tipped with pure white. 

 Four outer primaries black, more 

 slaty basally, especially the fourth ; 

 outer quill with about two inches of 

 its terminal portion white, crossed 

 near the tip by a wide black liar, on 

 one or both webs ; second to fifth 

 quills tipped with white, the fifth 

 abruptly plumbeous for its basal (ex- 

 posed) two thirds ; sixth quill plum- 

 beous, tipped with white, and with 

 a broad subterminal bar of black ; 

 remaining shorter quills lighter plum- 

 beous, more broadly and less abruptly 

 tipped with white. Remainder of 

 the plumage snow-white. Bill deep 

 chrome- or wax-yellow, the broad 

 part of the mandible marked by a 

 spot of bright red ; iris brown ; feet 

 yellow? 1 Adult, in winter: Similar, 

 but the head and neck, superiorly 

 ...id posteriorly, streaked with dusky Young, first plumage: Above, brownish slate, irregularly 

 spotted with grayish white; remigi -. rectrices, and primary coverts uniform dull black, narrowly 

 tipped with white ; lower pails brownish gray, clouded or irregularly spotted with grayish white 

 — the breast and abdomen sometimes marly uniform grayish. Bill dusky black terminally, 

 flesh-colored basally ; iris brown ; legs and feet flesh-color (pale brownish in skin). Downy 

 young:- Grayish bully white, the head marked with well-defined black blotches, of indefinite 

 arrangement ; upper parts clouded or irregularly blotched with brownish dusky. Lower parts 

 (except throat) immaculate. 



1 Audubon gives the color of the feet in this species as flesh-color ; but in recently prepared skins 

 which we have examined the fit appear to have been rich yellow. 



- Scarcely distinguishable from young of argentatus, but spots about the head blacker and more 

 distinctly defined, the markings of the upper parts also darker. 



