222 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



first plumage: Somewhat similar to the winter adult, but lower part of nape covered by a 

 large transverse patch of black, the anterior lesser wing-coverts also more or less black, as 

 are the centres of the innermost lesser coverts and tertials ; primary coverts and outer webs 

 of four or Ave outer primaries also black. Tail crossed at the end (except lateral pair of feath- 

 ers! by a broad black band, widest on the intermedin. Bill wholly black : "edge of eyelids 

 and iris as in the adult" (Auddbon); legs and feet dusky brownish. Dmcny young: Head, 

 neck, wings, and lower parts, immaculate white, the neck and base of the wings more or 

 less tinged with buff; back, rump, and flanks, yellowish gray, the down darker at the base. 

 Wing, about 12.25 inches; culmen, 1.10-1.50; depth of bill at base. .OS, through angle, .40; 

 tarsus, 1.30; middle toe (with clawi, 1.80. 



The Kittiwake is a northern gull which visits the Great Lakes 

 in winter, having been observed in the vicinity of Chicago by 

 Mr. Nelson, near Racine, Wisconsin, by Dr. Hoy, and in Min- 

 nesota, by Dr. Hatch. During the breeding season, however, it 

 is strictly a littoral and maritime species, its summer home, on 

 the American side of the Atlantic, extending from the lower St. 

 Lawrence, Newfoundland, etc., to Greenland, throughout which 

 extensive region it is perhaps the most numerous species of the 

 family. It is said to have become much less abundant than 

 formerly on the New England coast (where it used to pass 

 the winter in immense numbers), on account of its destruction 

 by the fishermen for food and slaughter by city gunnei's for 

 "sport"— the latter, it is said, shooting them for sport or prac- 

 tice, and leaving the dead and wounded to float out to sea 

 with the ebbing tide. 



Genus LARUS Linn.eus. 



Larus Linn. S. N, ed. 10, i. 1758, ISC; ed. 12, i, 1766, 224. Type, by elimination. L. canus Link. 

 Leuciis Kaup. Nat. Syst. Eur. Thierw.1829.86. ("Includes L. marinus.glaucus and/uscuj".) 

 Laroides BBEHM.Vog. Deutschl. 1831,738. ("Includes most of the European hoodless Gulls".) 

 Gavina BoNAP. Naum. 1854, 212. ("For L. canns and allies and for /-. iif/onini."— Saundbbb). 

 Chroicocephahis Eyton, Brit. B. 1836, 53. Type, Larus capistratiis Temm. 

 Atricilla Bonaf. Naum. 1854, 212. Type, A. catesbcei Bp»=iari(S atricilla Linn. 

 Sommicanus Beuch, J. t. 0. 1853, 100. Type, Larus marinus Linn. 

 Glaucus Beuch, 1. c. 1853, 101, Type, Larus glaucus Linn. 

 Blasipus "Bp." Bruch, 1, c. 1853, 108. Type, Larus modestus Tschudi. 

 Melagavia Bonap. Naum. 1854, 213. Type, Larus /rankUnii 8w. & Rich. 



Gen. Char. Size e.xoeedingly variable, ranging from that of the smaller Albatrosses 

 down to that of the medium-sized Terns; tail even: tarsus always longer than the middle 

 toe with its olaw (except in i. minulus), and smoothish behind; colors extremely variable, 

 but young always widely different from the adult. 



The genus Larus, in the comprehensive sense in which it is 

 here adopted, includes many very dissimilar forms, which pro- 

 bably represent distinct genera. 



