55 2 THE BONAPARTE GULL. 



Nesting. Xot known to breed in Ohio. Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., on the 

 ground. Eggs, 2 or 3, dull bluish white to brown or clay-color, spotted distinctly 

 with deep brown and obscurely with lilac. Av. size, 2.40 x 1.70 (61. x 43.2). 



General Range. North America at large ; south in winter to Cuba and 

 Mexico. 



Range in Ohio. Perhaps not uncommon migrant on Lake Erie; possibly 

 former summer resident ; rare migrant elsewhere. 



NOTHING has been added to our knowledge of this Gull since Dr. 

 Wheatorfs time, and indeed its numbers must have greatly decreased since 

 he wrote of it : "Common spring and fall migrant, perhaps formerly sum- 

 mer resident on Lake Erie." No recent list makes mention of it, and Pro- 

 fessor Jones has never seen it along the Lake Erie shore. 



The Ring-billed Gull has much the habit and appearance of the Herring 

 Gull, but when the two species appear together, it may be readily distin- 

 guished by its smaller size. While its principal diet consists of fish and the 

 flotsam of the tide, it is said occasionally to vary its fare by feeding upon 

 insects and land molluscs. Dr. J. A. Allen reports that during a visit to "lt 

 Lake Valley, where the}- breed abundantly, he saw them repeatedly sub- 

 sisting upon grasshoppers, of which they caught enormous numbers: not as 

 might be supposed, by walking about upon the ground, but by hawking at 

 them in the air. 



No. 264. 



BONAPARTE GULL. 



A. O. U. No. 60. Larus Philadelphia (Ord). 



Description. Adult in summer: Head including throat blackish slate, 

 mantle pearl-gray ; primaries extensively white, the first six with black terminal 

 portions, the third to sixth, in addition, narrowly tipped with white; the first 

 quill with outer web and tip black, the second and third altogether white \vith 

 black tips, the fourth white on outer web, pearl-gray on inner web, with touch 

 of white at extremity of terminal black, effecting the transition to the nearly uni- 

 form basal pearl-gray of inner primaries ; remaining plumage pure white, the 

 under parts more or less flushed with pale rosy; bill jet black; feet and legs rich 

 orange-red ; feathering of eyelids w r hite posteriorly, the skin carmine. Adult in 

 winter: Without the black hood : a dab of slate behind the ear and another before 

 the eye, with a plumbeous suffusion of occiput instead ; rosy tint of under parts 

 wanting ; bill lighter basally. and feet pale flesh-color. Immature : Like adult 

 in winter, but plumbeous suffusion of hind-head more extensive and tinged with 

 bro\vnish ; the pearl-gray of mantle less distinct and varied by brownish gray ; 

 lesser wing-coverts and inner tertials mostly brownish gray ; primaries mostlv 

 blackish on exposed outer webs, where the adult is white, and white on outer 



