NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS- 



33 



53. California Gull. Larus calif ornicus. 

 Range. Western North America, breeding in the interior. 

 A smaller Gull than the Herring with the primaries grayish instead of black ; 

 length twenty-five inches. This Gull is found in winter on the coast from British 

 Columbia southward to Lower California, but nests in the interior from I'tah 

 northward. They nest very abundantly around the Great Salt Lake, placing 



their nests generally upon 

 the bare ground. Some- 

 times there is a scant lining 

 of grasses or weeds and again 

 the nests will be situated in 

 the midst of a tussock of 

 grass. Three or four eggs 

 generally constitute a set, 

 but occasionally five are 

 laid. The usual nesting 

 time is during May. They 

 show the same great varia- 

 tions in color and markings 

 common to most of the 

 Gulls. Size 2.60x1.80. Data. 

 Pyramid Lake, Nevada, 

 May 26, 1898. Slight nest 

 of grasses on the rocks on 

 an island. Collector, R. D. 

 Wheeler. 



[Grayish brown. J 



54. Ring-billed Gull, larus delawarensis.' 



Range. Whole of North America, breeding from the United States north- 

 ward and wintering south to the Gulf States. 



A small Gull, eighteen inches 

 in length, with a light gray 

 mantle, black primaries with 

 white tips, and always to be dis- 

 tinguished in the breeding season 

 by the black band around the 

 middle of the greenish yellow 

 bill. They nest in enormous 

 colonies on islands in the interior 

 of the country and in smaller 

 colonies on the coasts. Thous- 

 ands of them breed on the lakes 

 of the Dakotas and northward. 

 The majority of them nest on 

 the ground, although on the 

 coast they are often found on the 

 cliffs. They commonly lay three 

 eggs placing them in a slight 

 hollow in the ground, generally 



[Gray.] 



on the grassy portions of the islands. The color varies from grayish to browm>h, 

 marked with brown and lilac. The height of the nesting season is in June. 

 Size of eggs, 2.80 x 1.75. Data.-Larimore, N. Dakota, May 31, 1898. Three eggs. 

 Nest a hollow in the sand on an'island, lined with a few grasses. Collector, I. 

 F. Eastgate. 

 4 



