70 GULLS. 



third to fifth primaries black at the ends and with white tips ; hind toe very 

 small, a mere knob without a nail ; bill yellowish, feet black. Ad. in winter. 

 Similar to above, but the top of the head and back of the neck washed with 

 pearl-gray, and a dark spot about the eye. Im. Similar to winter adults, 

 but with the back of the neck, lesser wing-coverts, and part of the tertials 

 black ; tail, except outer pair of feathers, with a black band at its tip ; four 

 outer primaries black, except the inner half or more of their inner webs ; fifth 

 and sixth tipped with black and white ; bill black, feet yellowish. L., 16-00; 

 W., 12-00; T., 4-50; B., 1-30. 



Remarks. This species can always be distinguished by the small size of 

 the hind toe. 



Range. Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in America, breed- 

 ing commonly from the Magdalen Islands northward, and wintering as far 

 south as the Great Lakes in the interior, and, on the coast, commonly to Long 

 Island, and rarely to Virginia. 



Long Island, common T. V., a few v/inter, Nov. to Mch. 



Neat, of grass, moss, and seaweed on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Eygs, 

 three to four, varying from shades of buffy to grayish brown, distinctly and 

 obscurely marked with chocolate, 2-25 x 1-60. 



" Our bird differs but little in its habits from other oceanic Gulls. 

 Feeding chiefly on fish, but accepting any diet that drifts within range 

 of its keen sight ; drinking salt water in preference to fresh ; breasting 

 a gale with ease and grace soaring in midair, skimming close above 

 the crested waves, or swooping into the trough for a coveted morsel ; 

 resting upon the rolling billows, and sleeping serenely as they roll, 

 with head tucked snugly under a wing; wandering in loose flocks, 

 and making comrades of other wanderers ; devoted to mate and young, 

 and attached to all its kin wherever seen or however employed, the 

 Kittiwake is revealed as a typical gleaner of the sea. 



" The name is derived from the bird's singular cry, which resembles 

 the syllables Mtti-aa, kitti-aa " (Chamberlain). 



42. Lams glaucus Brunn. GLAUCOUS GULL; BURGOMASTER. .!</. 

 in summer Back and wings pale pearl -gray; primaries lightly tinted with 

 pearl, inner half of their inner webs and tips fading gradually into white; 

 rest of the plumage pure white. Ad. in winter. Similar to the above, l.iit 

 with the head and neck lightly streaked with grayish. Im. Upper parts 

 varying from ashy gray to white, the feathers widely barred, mottled, or 

 streaked with buffy or ashy gray ; primaries varying from pale smoky trray 

 to pure white; tail ashy or brownish gray; under parts varying from dirty 

 whitish to ashy gray, gene-rally darker on the belly, sometimes mottled with 

 buffy or grayish. (Birds of the second year are said to be pure white.) L., 

 28-00; W., 17-10; B., 2-35; depth of B. at projection on the lower mandible, 

 7."> to 1-00; Tar., 2-60. 



Range. Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; in North America 

 breeding commonly from southern Labrador northward and migrating south- 

 ward to the Great Lakes and Long Island. 



