ZOOLOGY. 271 



but probably retires to the north, for breeding purposes, in the spring, as after the middle of 

 April they become quite scarce in that vicinity. During the cold months they are found in 

 large flocks along the shores of the sound, and on the flats and marshes at the mouths of the 

 small rivers and creeks in the neighborhood. At high water they arc apt to extend their 

 excursions a short distance above the mouths of these streams, flying singly or in small com 

 panies of three or four. They are at that season quite tame and unwary, flying very close to 

 man, and allowing themselves to be readily killed with fowling pieces. When an individual is 

 killed or wounded, the others, attracted by the sight, hover about their companion, and become 

 an easy prey to the gunner. In this habit they resemble many other species of gull. 



Most of the specimens I obtained were either in immature plumage, or else in peculiar winter 

 dress. I have noticed from a* short distance, among large flocks, certain individuals which 

 varied greatly in the degrees of lightness of coloration, some being quite white-looking, while 

 others had a very dark, dingy, smoked appearance. 



They apparently subsist principally on such refuse matters as are washed up along the 

 shores at high water. They are fond of resting on logs, boards, and bits of wood, which are 

 at all times found drifting about on the waters of the sound. Floating on these they remain 

 almost asleep for hours, until the tide having retreated, they leave their frail barks and con 

 gregate in vast numbers on their favorite feeding grounds. S. 



This gull, of which I obtained several specimens in various stages of plumage at Shoalwater 

 bay, differs in no respect from the following in habits, as far as I observed, and constantly 

 associates with it, at least in the colder weather. It seems to be a larger bird in each period 

 of its growth. 



NOTE. Larus chalcopterus (LiCHT.) LAWRENCE, Gen. Rep. Birds, p. 843. During the coldest 

 winter weather of January, 1855, a gull appeared at Shoalwater bay larger than the pre 

 ceding, and with its mantle very pale gray, wings unmarked with black, bill and feet whitish. 

 It remained only a short time, and was very shy. It fed along the shore, like the other 

 species. It agreed with the L. chalcopterus of Mr. Lawrence better than any other. C. 



LARUS OCCIDENTALS, Audubon. 



The Western Gull. 



Larus occidentallis, AUD. Orn. Biog. V, 1839, 320. AUD. Birds Am. YTI, 1844, 161. LAWRENCE & BAIRD, Gen. 



Eep. Birds, 845. 

 Laroides occidental!*, BRUCH, Cab. Jour. 1855, 282. BON. Cons Av. II, 1856, 219. 



SP. CH. Advil. The head, neck, rump, tail, and under plumage pure white; the back and wings grayish blue, many 

 shades darker than in L. argenlatus; the first six primaries are black towards their ends, extending on the first for about 

 half its length, and lessening on the others, until on the sixth it is reduced to a narrow sub-terminal bar ; the tips of all are 

 white ; on the first the white is an inch and a half in extent, and crossed near the end with black ; secondaries and tertiaries 

 with broad white tips ; iris gray ; bill deep yellow, with a bright orange red spot on the angle of the lower mandible ; legs 

 and feet flesh color. 



Young mottled with lead colored brown, grayish white, and brownish ash, lighter on the lower parts ; primaries blackish 

 brown ; bill brownish black, dull yellow at base ; legs and feet brownish flesh color ; eye dark brown. 



Length, 21.50 to 24 inches; extent, 52 to 55; wing, 15.25 to 17 ; tail, 7; bill, 2 ; depth at angle, |; tarsus, 2|. 

 Female smallest. 



Hob. Northwest coast of North America. 



The western gull is very abundant along the whole of the coast that it inhabits, as far south 

 as the Peninsula of California, where I noticed them for the last time on my voyage down the 

 coast in December, 1855. On the numerous small islands near the Mexican boundary they 



