ZOOLOGY. 273 



pursuing the steamers along the coast within sight of laud, easily keeping up with the speed 

 of ten miles an hour, though having nothing like the power of wing of the albatross that 

 generally accompanies them at these times. 



In March these gulls are commonly seen in pairs, the female only distinguishable by its 

 somewhat less size. They are said to lay on the islands off Cape Classet, and perhaps do also 

 on some within the Straits of Pe Fuca. They are still found during summer a long distance 

 from these places, but whether these are barren birds, or resort for food to such a distance, I 

 do not know. 



In October, 1853, I saw a few large gulls 400 miles up the Columbia river, east of the 

 Cascade mountains, but could not ascertain whether they were of this species. I believe, 

 however, that they fly up that river at least 100 miles from its mouth. 



I could distinguish no difference in habits between the dark and light blue specimens, which 

 have the same peculiar bill and dimensions. C. 



LARUS CALIFORNICUS, Lawrence. 



The California Gull. 



Larus californicus, LAWR. Ann. Lye. N. H. N. Y. VI, 1854, 79 BAIRD & LAWKENCE, Gen. Rep. Birds, 846. 

 Laroides californicus, BON. Cons. Av. II, 1856, 220. 



Sp. CH. Adult: The head, neck, under plumage, rump, and tail, pure white ; back and wings pearl blue, darker than in 

 L. argentatus, but not so dark as in L. occidentalio; the six outer primaries are marked with black towards their ends, extending 

 on the first for about two thirds its length, and becoming less on the others, until on the sixth it consists only of a subterminal 

 bar; the tips of all are white; on the exterior quill the white extends about two inches, and is crossed near the end by a black 

 bar ; the secondaries and tertiaries terminate with white ; iris hazel ; bill yellow ; basal part of the upper mandible greenish gray 

 for two thirds its length ; a blackish band crosses both mandibles near their ends ; it is darker in color on the lower mandible, 

 where it is bordered with orange ; tarsus and feet flesh color. 



Length, 20 to 22.50 inches ; extent, 49 to 55 ; wing, 15 25 to 16 ; tail, 7 ; bill, 2 ; depth at angle, 10.16 ; tarsus, 2| ; middle toe 

 and nail, 2^ ; female smallest. 



Hab. Pacific coast. 



The California gull is also an abundant species along the western coast, excepting in 

 summer, when they appear to retire beyond the limits of the Territory. In winter they 

 remain in small numbers on the coast, and probably for some distance up the Columbia as long 

 as it remains unfrozen. In habits they much resemble the western gulls, but seem more 

 inclined to dive for fish, though they also feed in the edge of the water during rising tide. I 

 have never seen them break shell-fish as the other does. I did not see any of them following 

 the vessels out at sea, and they appear to be confined to bays and rivers. 



The following are the colors of parts which change in drying: Iris dark brown, bronzed; 

 bill greenish yellow, with a black band around angle, and sometimes an orange red patch 

 beneath; inside of mouth orange red; edge of lids dark dull red; feet greenish white, in the 

 young grayish. C. 



LARUS DELAWARENSIS, Ord. 



The Ring-billed Gull. 



Larus ddawarensis, ORD, Guth Geog. 2d Am. ed II, 1815, 319. BAIRD & LAWRENCE, Gen. Rep. Birds, 846. 

 Larus brachyrhynchus, RICH. & Sw. F. Bor. Am II, 1831, 422, (not of Gould ) 

 Larus zonorhynchus, RICH. & Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 422. NUTT. Man. II, 1834, 300. AUD. Birds Am. VII, 1844, 152; 



pi. ccccxlvi. BON. Cons. Av. II, 1856,224. 



SP. CH. Adult: The head, neck, under parts, and tail are pure white ; back and wiugs very Hgbt pearl blue ; lirst and second 

 primaries black for two-thirds of their length towards the end, the three next quills have the black much less in extent, and on 



35 Q 



