98 CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



Docophorus lari Denny. (Plate iv, fig. 4.) 



Monograph Anoplurorum Britannia?, 1842, p. 89, pi. v, tig. 9. 



Pediculus lari Fabricius, Fauna Groenlandica, 1780, p. 218. 



Philopti rus lari Fabr., Walckenter, Hist. Nat. Ins. Apt., 1844, vol. iii, 

 p. 337. 



Docophorus gonolhorax Giebel, Zeitschr. f. ges. Naturwiss., 1871, vol. 

 xxxvii, p. 450; Giebel, Insecta Epizoa, 1874, p. 111. 



Docophorus congener Giebel, Insecta Epizoa, 1874, p. 111. 



Docophorus lari Denny, Piaget, Les Pediculines, 1S80, p. Ill, pi. ix, 

 fig. 7. 

 Many specimens of this common parasite of the gulls on 

 Larus argentatus smithsonianus, canus, occidentalism brachy- 

 rhynchus, glaucesccus, heermanni, vegce, delczvarcnsis, 

 glaucus and Rissa tridactyla pollicaris (Bay of Monterey, 

 Cal.), and from Larus delezvarensis (Lawrence, Kansas). 

 In all, I have examined eighty-seven specimens of gulls 

 of the various species mentioned, and have collected this 

 parasite on seventy-eight of them. Piaget and others 

 have found this parasite on Larus canus, marinus, fuscus, 

 glaucus, argentatus, ridibundus, atricilla, islaudiats, Icu- 

 coplueus, cyanorhynchus, Pagophila cburnea, Rissa tri- 

 dactyla, Sulla bassana, and Lestris -parasiticus. I have 

 found males, females and young of this parasite on Coly tu- 

 bus nigricollis californicus and Urinator I u nunc; these 

 can hardly be stragglers. 



Piaget has named and briefly described three varieties 

 of this species, there being apparent a considerable vari- 

 ation in size, in shape of the clypeus and character of the 

 male genitalia. The careful examination of a large num- 

 ber of specimens from different species of gulls is neces- 

 sary for an understanding of the condition of the species. 

 I hope to have opportunity to make such a study soon. 



The species is easily recognized by the strong mark- 

 ings, broad truncate clypeus and large acuminate signa- 

 ture. The female specimen figured measured as follows : 

 body, length 2. mm., width .93 mm.; head, length .62 

 mm., width .63 mm. 



