234 BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



HAB. Tropical and warm-temperate America, north to Maine, Ohio, Illinois, etc., but 

 chiefly along the sea-coast; south to the Lower Amazon; both coasts of Mexico and Cen- 

 tral America. Casual in Europe. 



SP. CHAR. Adult in summer: Head and upper half of the neck (extending farther 

 down in front than on the nape) dark slate- color, with a slight brownish tinge, darkest on 

 the neck ; an elongated white spot on each eyelid ; lower half of the neck, all round, entire 

 lower parts, upper tail-coverts, and tail, pure white, the under surface with a delicate 

 roseate tinge in fresh specimens; mantle deep plumbeous, the secondaries and tertials 

 broadly tipped with white. Outer five primaries black, with or without a small white apical 

 spot, the bases of the third, fourth, and fifth slaty for a greater or less distance, this some- 

 times abruptly defined against the black, but oftener grading insensibly into it; remaining 

 quills hoary plumbeous, tipped with white, the sixth sometimes with a subterminal black 

 spot. Bill dark brownish red, terminal third of the culmen (sometimes whole tip of upper 

 mandible) and the gonys blood-red or carmine, the two colors sometimes separated by a 

 more or less distinct dusky bar or transverse spot; eyelids dull dark red; rictus and inte- 

 rior of mouth fleshy red ; iris dark grayish brown; legs and feet dark reddish brown, the 

 webs darker; claws black. Adult in winter: Similar, but head and neck white, the occi- 

 put and auricular region spotted or mottled with brownish gray, and the eyes more or less 

 surrounded by the same. Bill and feet more dusky. Young, first plumage: Interscapu- 

 lars, scapulars, and wing-coverts, grayish brown centrally, broadly bordered with pale 

 grayish buff or clay-color; greater wing coverts ash-gray, tinged on terminal edges with 

 pale grayish buff; secondaries dusky, abruptly tipped with white; primary coverts and 

 primaries black, the latter narrowly tipped with white. Central portion of the rump light 

 brownish ash; lateral and posterior portion of the rump, upper tail-coverts, and posterior 

 ower parts, white. Basal half of the tail light ash-gray; terminal portion black, narrowly 

 tipped with white. Head, neck, breast, and sides, nearly uniform brownish gray, darker on 

 the occiput and nape, and more or less tinged with pale buffy beneath, especially in 

 younger individuals; abdomen grayish white or pale brownish gray. Bill and feet dusky 

 brownish (in skin). Downy young: Above, grayish fulvous, the head irregularly striped 

 or spotted, the back, wings, and rump irregularly marbled with dusky. Lower parts light 

 grayish fulvous, inclining to ochraceous on the breast and middle of the abdomen, which 

 are immaculate; lateral and under pai ts of the head marked with several large and distinct 

 spots of black; forneck, sides, flanks, and anal region dull fulvous-grayish, faintly mottled 

 with darker. Bill dull light brown; legs and feet dull dusky brown. 



Total length, about 16.50 inches; wing, 13.00; tail, 5.00; culmen, 1.75; depth of bill through 

 nostrils, 45; tarsus, 2.00; middle toe with claw, 1.50. 



Essentially a coast bird, the Laughing Gull is probably only 

 an irregular or casual visitor to the Mississippi Valley. Accord- 

 ing to Professor Cooke a few pass up the Mississippi during the 

 summer as far as southern Illinois, while it was recorded by 

 Mr. Powell at Alden, Nebraska, in July, 1880. May not, how- 

 ever, Franklin's Gull (L. franklinii} have been mistaken for it? 



Lams franklinii Sw. & Kich. 



FBANKLIN'S GULL. 



Popular synonyms. Franklin's Rosy Gull; Hooded Gull; Apipisca (Mexico). 



Larus atricilla SABINE, App. Franklin's Polar Sea, 1823. 695 (not of LINN. 1758). 



Larus franklinii Sw. & RICH. F. B.-A. ii, 1831,424, pL 7L Aui>. Orn. Biog. v, 1839, 324; Synop. 

 1839. 325; B. Am. vii, 1844, 145. COUES. Key, 1872,316; Check List, 1873, No. 555. SAUN- 

 DEBS, P. Z. 8. 1878,195,-RiDGW. Nom. N. Am, B. 1881, No. 674; Man. N. Am. B. 1887. 

 -B. B. & R. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884. 258. A. O. U. Check List. 1886. No. 59. 



