GULLS 53 



coverts grayish washed ; feet flesh color. Immature plumage : primaries 

 with more black than in adults ; back brownish gray ; head and neck gray- 

 ish washed ; tail with black band and white tips to feathers. Wing 10.00 to 

 11.00 ; culmen 1.18 ; tarsus 1.35. 



Geog. Dist. — North America, breeding north of the United States and 

 wintering from Maine to the Gulf of Mexico. 



County Records. — Androscoggin ; one at Sabattus Pond, October 23, 1898, 

 (Farrar). Cumberland; common through winter, (Lord) ; abundant during 

 migrations, (Brown, C. B. P., p. 34) ; not rare straggler in northern Cumber- 

 land, (Mead). Hancock ; common in fall, I have seen small flocks as late as 

 June 20 and as early as August 19 among the islands, (Knight). Knox; 

 migrant, (Rackliff). Lincoln; observed in June, 1895, (Norton). Oxford; 

 very rare, two shot on Lovewell's Pond in October, 1890, (Nash). Piscata- 

 quis; not uncommon migrant on the larger lakes, (Homer). Sagadahoc; 

 plenty from November until April, (Spinney). Waldo ; common in fall and 

 not rare through the winter, a few until June, (Knight). Washington ; very 

 abundant, none breed, (Boardman). 



Though appearing in fall as early as August when numbers 

 were first seen near Sunshine, and remaining as late as June 20 

 when a flock of twenty or more was seen and specimens shot in 

 Penobscot Bay, yet this species never breeds in Maine. It is 

 common from fall to late spring along the coast, not so numer- 

 ous in winter, while inland a few scattered migrants occur about 

 the lakes in fall. In the marshes bordering the Mackenzie 

 River this species is said to breed in late June, making a nest 

 of sticks and grasses which is various placed in bushes, trees or 

 on high stumps. The eggs are said to be three or four in 

 number, greenish olive in color, spotted with brown, umber 

 and lilac chiefly about the larger end. The eggs are said to 

 measure 1.97 x 1.40 (B. B. & R.). These graceful little birds 

 usually are seen in small rather compact flocks, flying in short 

 circular sweeps and proceeding at the same time along in the 

 same general direction they happen to be going. When any- 

 thing is discovered they reach the water by a graceful turn and 

 either take wing with their prey without hardly pausing, or 

 if abundance of food is found they will settle to enjoy it. Small 

 fish and surface swimming crustaceans appear to be the chief 

 food along our coast. When one individual of a flock is 



