LARIDiE— THE GULLS AND TERNS. 329 



Larus marinu.«, var. yS Lath. Ind. Orn. ii, 1790,814. 



Larus glaucun Retz. Fn. 8uec. i, 1800, 156 (not of Beunn. 1764). 



Laru3 argeyiteu.t Bbehm, Beitr. VoK. iii, 1822. 781. 799 (part). 



Larus argentatoides Bbehm, t. c. 791. 799 (parti. * 



Laroides major Bbehm, Vok. Deutschl. 1831, 738. 



Laroiden argeutaceus Bbehm, t. e. 742. 



? Laroides americanus Beehm, Vob. DeutschL 1831, 743. 



Ooeland a manleau gris Buff. Hist. Nat. OIs. vlli, 1781, 406, pi. 32: PI. Enl. zyt. 



Hab. Europe and northeastern North America (casual only ?). 



8p. Chab. Adult insumm<^r: Mantle pale pearl-blue (a shade darker than iu A. (;/(j»<i-.<- 

 cens), the secondaries and tertials passing terminally into while. Outer primary black, 

 more slaty basally, the tip white, and a large white terminal spot across the inner, and 

 sometimes the outer, web; next quill black tipped with white, and u.sually without any 

 white e.xcept the apical spot; third, fourth, and llfth auills similar, but the basal half, or 

 more, light pearl- gray (this e.xteniling farther on the inner web), the line of demarcation 

 sharply deflned; si.\th aulll light pearl-gray, broadly tipped with white, this prt-ceded by a 

 broad subterminal space of black, widest on the outer web; seventh quill similar, but the 

 black much more restricted, and confined to the outer web; remaining p imaries pale 

 pearl-gray, passing gradually into white at ends. Remainder of the plumage snow-white. 

 Bill deep chrome- or wax-yellow, with a large spot of bright red near the end of the mandi- 

 ble: eyelids bilght yellow; iris silvery white or pale yellow; legs and feet flesh-color, 

 claws brownish black. Adult imoinler: Similar, but head and neck, except underneath, 

 streaked with dusky grayish. "The bill is pure yellow, the lower mandible with an orange- 

 red patch toward the end; the edges of the eyelids yellow; the iris pale yellow; the feet 

 flesh-colored; the claws brownish black" (Macou:.livbay). Young, first plumage: Pre- 

 vailing color brownish ash, nearly uniform below, the head and neck streaked with while; 

 upper parts variegated by borders to the feathers and irregular spots of pale grayish bufi; 

 primary coverts, remiges. and rectrices blackish dusky. "The bill is bluish black, the base 

 of the lower mandible Hesh-colored" (Macgilliveay).' Downy yonxg: Grayish white, 

 the lower parts (except throat) immaculate; head marked with irregular spots of black, in- 

 definitely distributed; back, wings, and rump clouded with dusky grayish. Bill back, the 

 end yellowish; feet brownish. 



Total length, about 23.00 inches; wing. 15.75-17.90 (average, 16.38); culmen, 1.85-2.20 (2.07); 

 depth of bill through angle. .72-,80 (.77); tarsus. 2.30-2.72 (2.50); middle toe. 1.90-2.25 (2.07). 



The true Hemn": Gull is included in the list of Illinois birds 

 on the strenjrth of a specimen obtained at Cliicajro, March 27, 

 1876, formerly in Mr. Nelson's collection, which some years aso 

 was identified by Dr. Coues as belonf^iug to this form. The 

 specimen should, however, be re-examined, since the separation 

 of the ordinary American bird (Z. argentatm amitluioniamts) now 

 rests on characters different, in part at least, from those on 

 which the separation was originally made.* 



^ After next moult. "The bill Is dull yellow, with a dusky patch on each mandible, and 

 a little red on the lower; the Iris yellow; the feet Hesh-oolorod." (Macoillivbay.) 



• According to Mr. Nelson (/iu// Nutt. Orn. Club, vol. i, p. 41), the Iris of this specimen 

 was "hazel." If this was really the case (which there is no reason for doubling), the xpccl- 

 men can hardly have b<'cn /-. argenlatus In either of Its forms, which, when adult (the bird 

 In question wa^ an adult femalel. always has the Iris yellow. L.cali/oruicus has a dark 

 brown or hazel Iris, and It may possibly be that species; at any rate the case is one of con- 

 siderable Importance and the specimen should, if it can bo traced, bo carofu.ly re-uxumlned. 



