GULLS AND TERNS 25 



Distribution. Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia 

 to Panama. 



Heermann gulls are generally common winter visitors in southern 

 California. At Monterey Mr. Loomis has taken careful notes of 

 their migratory movements. In May they were rare, in June adults 

 were still scarce, but the latter half of the month immature birds 

 were common. By the middle of July adults were abundant, and 

 before August there was a great inroad of the dark-plumaged birds. 

 Toward the end of August the western and Heermann gulls appeared 

 to be of about equal abundance, and in November their nights 

 rivaled or exceeded those of the western gull. 



Mr. Grinnell says that on the coast near Los Angeles where the 

 fishermen draw their seines along the beaches, clouds of gulls are 

 usually attracted, about half of the flocks being Heermann and a 

 quarter western gulls. 



68. Lams atricilla Linn. LAUGHING GuLL. 1 



Adults in summer. Head slaty black, mantle bluish gray ; rest of plum- 

 age, except quills, white ; three outer quills black, the fourth and fifth 

 black towards ends, all but first usually with very small white spot at tip ; 

 bill and feet dark red. Adults in winter : head mainly white with dusky 

 around eyes and on back of head. Young : upper parts mottled grayish 

 brown ; breast smoky gray ; upper tail coverts white, base of tail gray, 

 outer third black, narrowly tipped with whitish; wing quills black. 

 Length: 15-17, wing 13, bill 1.75, tarsus 2. 



Remarks. The young of the laughing gull may be distinguished from 

 Franklin and Bonaparte by its large size, longer bill, and wider black tail 

 band. 



Distribution. Atlantic and Gulf coast of United States and Pacific 

 coast of Mexico ; south in winter to the Amazon. Recorded from Col- 

 orado. 



Nest. In trees, four to twenty feet from the ground, generally made 

 of small sticks, lined with hay and moss. 



59. Larus franklinii Sw. $- Rich. FRANKLIN GULL. 



Adults in summer. Bill 

 bright red, with darker sub- 

 terminal band ; head plum- 

 beous black ; eyelids white ; 

 mantle dark slaty ; quills 

 gray, tipped with white, the 

 five outer with subterminal 

 black spaces ; under parts 

 white, deeply tinted with rose 

 pink. Adults in winter: head 

 mainly white, with sides and 

 back grayish dusky. Young : 

 top and sides of head and 

 back grayish brown ; quills 

 dusky, tipped with white ; tail Fig. 43. 



1 All the black-headed gulls are flushed with pink in spring. 



