GULLS AND TERNS 23 



Monterey in winter and common down the coast to San Diego. In 

 the harbors they alight on the masts and fly about the vessels, often 

 following them thirty or forty miles from land. Their name probably 

 comes from the commotion they make at sight of a school of herring 

 or other little fish. As they follow the small fry about, the fishermen 

 often take them for pilots and follow to get the larger fish which are 

 in pursuit of the little ones. 



52. Larus vegse (Palmen). VEGA GULL. 



Like argentatus, but mantle darker, deep pearl or plumbeous gray ; feet 

 pale flesh color. Size about as in argentatus. 



Distribution. Central Asia to Japan and Bering 1 Sea, and down the 

 coast of North America in winter to California. 



Mr. Kobbe, in The Auk (xix. 19), after examining a large num- 

 ber of specimens, concludes that vegce and argentatus are identical, 

 but as there is a difference of opinion as to its validity, the species 

 is included on what seems to be its only character, the slightly 

 darker mantle. 



53. Larus calif ornicus Lawr. CALIFORNIA GULL. 



Adults. Mantle clear bluish gray; outer primaries black, tipped with 

 white, the first two with subterminal white spots; a distinct gray wedg'e 

 on inner web of second ; bill yellow, with red and black spot near end 

 of lower mandible ; feet greenish. Young : upper parts coarsely spotted 

 and mottled with dusky, buffy, grayish, and whitish ; under parts mottled 

 and streaked ; quills and tail blackish ; bill dusky, with black tip. Length : 

 20-23, wing 15.00-16.75, bill 1.65-2.15, depth of bill at angle .60-.75. 



Distribution . Western North America from Alaska to Mexico, chiefly 

 in the interior. 



Mr. Loomis says that in the matter of numbers near Monterey in 

 midwinter the California gull ranks with its larger congeners the 

 glaucous-winged and the western. Mr. Grinnell finds it common 

 along the southern coast, where it frequents the fresh-water marshes, 

 and he has seen it on the Los Angeles river-bottoms. At Pescadero 

 in the low fields near the ocean hundreds have been seen following 

 the plough. 



54. Larus delawarensis Ord. RING-BILLED GULL. 



Adults. Mantle light pearl gray ; bill greenish yellow, crossed near end 

 by a distinct black band, tip yellow or orange ; eyelids vermilion, iris pale 

 yellow ; feet pale yellow, sometimes tinged with greenish. Young : upper 

 parts dusky, feathers bordered and marked with grayish buff or whitish ; 

 under parts white, spotted along sides with grayish brown ; quills blackish, 

 the shorter ones -gray at base and tipped with white ; base of tail gray, 

 outer half blackish, tipped with white. Length : 18-20, wing 13.60-15.75, 

 bill 1.55-1.75, depth at angle of lower mandible .50-.65. 



Distribution. Whole of North America, breeding as far south as 

 Colorado, but mainly north of the United States ; migrating south to Cuba 

 and Mexico. 



Nest. On the ground, made of dry grass. Eggs : usually 3. 



