BIRDS OF KANSAS. 27 



Larus Philadelphia (ORD.). 



BONAPARTE'S GULL. 

 PLATE II. 



Migratory; rare. Arrive the last of March to last of April; 

 begin to return as early as August. 



B. 670. R. 675. C. 788. G. 311, 9. U. 60. 



HABITAT. The whole of North America; breeding far north- 

 ward; south, in winter, to Mexico and Central America. 



SP. CHAR. "Adult, in summer: Head aiid upper part of the neck dark plum- 

 bous, the eyelids marked by an elongated white spot. Lower part of the neck, 

 entire lower parts, tail, upper tail coverts, lower and lateral portions of the 

 rump, border of the wing, alulse, primary coverts, and greater portion of the 

 primaries, snow white; the neck and lower parts with a delicate rose-pink 

 blush in fresh specimens. Mantle, including upper and middle portions of rump, 

 delicate light pearl blue. Three outer primaries chiefly white; the outer web 

 of the exterior quill, and the terminal portion of all, deep black; fourth quill 

 similar to the third, but the inner web pale grayish blue; fifth and sixth quills 

 pale grayish blue, with a large subteruiiual black space, and tipped with white 

 (third and fourth quills also marked with a small white apical spot); remaining 

 quills pale grayish blue, without white tips, but marked near the end, usually 

 on inner web only, with a black spot. Bill deep black; iris dark brown; interior 

 of mouth, with legs and feet, rich, clear orange red; claws black. Adult, in 

 winter: Similar, but head and neck white, the occiput tinged with grayish, and 

 the auricular region marked by a spot of dusky gray. Legs and feet flesh color. 

 Young, first plumage: Sides and under parts of head and neck, entire lower 

 parts, upper tail coverts, and basal three-fourths of the tail, pure white; crown, 

 occiput, and upper part of the back, brownish gray; a clunky grayish spot on 

 the auricular region; scapulars and posterior interscapulars grayish umber, 

 tipped with pale buff; central area of lesser wing-covert region dusky brownish 

 gray; rest of wing coverts, edges of secondaries, greater portion of inner pri- 

 maries, with upper and central portions of rump, light grayish blue; band across 

 end of tail black or dusky, the tip narrowly whitish. Outer primary with the 

 entire outer web, and a stripe along the inner next the shaft, with the end, 

 black, the remaining portion white; second and third quills similar, but the 

 white successively more restricted; fourth bluish white on both webs (inner web 

 more bluish), the subterminal portion black for more than an inch, the tip with 

 a small white spot; remaining quills similar, but deeper bluish gray. Bill dusky; 

 feet pale brownish (in skin). Young, second year: Similar to the adult in win- 

 ter plumage, but central lesser wing coverts dusky, tail crossed by a subterminal 

 band of dusky brown, and primaries marked as in the first plumage." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing. Wing. 'Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 14.00 33.00 10.50 4.25 1.37 1.10 



Female.. 13.50 32.00 10.20 4.05 1.35 1.12 



