98 NATURAL HISTORY OF ARCTIC AMERICA. 



think it a sort of general term as they use it, something like " gull." 

 This species is far less common in Cumberland than glaucus. On the 

 Greenland coast it is the most common gull, except Rissa tridactyla. 

 My opportunities for studying leucopterus were not very extensive, and 

 my conclusions may be too hasty ; but still it is worth while for others 

 that may get better opportunities, to observe if the following points 

 of difference are constant : 



First. Leiwopterua, 24 inches or less ; glaucus, 27 to 32 inches. 



Second. Tarsus and toes of leucopterus in fully adult birds often orange- 

 red, and not flesh-colored as in glaucus. 



Third. Eing around the eye in leucopterus flesh-colored 5 in glaucus , 

 reddish purple. 



Fourth. Young of glaucus in first plumage as light as the bird of the 

 second year ; the young of leucopterus nearly as dark as the young of 

 glaucescens. The bill is also weaker and thinner than in glaucus. 

 , Governor Fencker says he has often had birds that answered nearly 

 to the description of L. hutcJiinsii, but with chrome-yellow bill, with ver- 

 rnillion spot, and not flesh-colored, with dusky tip ; these birds were 

 always found to measure less, however, than the average glaucus, which 

 is directly the opposite of my experience with hutcMnsii. There may be 

 a gradation between the two species as far as regards size ; but the 

 above cited points of .difference have proved good so far as my obser- 

 vations have gone. They mix indiscriminately with glaucus at alJ 

 times, but are always readily distinguishable by their smaller size. 

 Eggs were procured at Claushavn, Greenland, which are indistinguisha- 

 ble from those of glaucus except in size. A fine specimen, a full-fledged 

 young, was secured on the Hunde Islands, Disko Bay, that had four 

 feet, the second pair growing out of the knee-joint in front. 



65. Lams glaucescens, Licht. 



"Nowyah," Cumberland Eskimo. 



So far as I am aware this is the first instance on record of this bird 

 being taken on the Atlantic coast. They are quite common in the 

 upper Cumberland waters, where they breed. Arrived with the open- 

 ing of the water and soon began nesting. The nest was placed on the 

 shelving rocks on high cliffs. Two pairs nested very near our harbor ; 

 but the ravens tore the nest down and destroyed the eggs. Only a sin- 

 gle well-identified egg was secured. This gull is unknown to Governor 

 Fencker on the Greenland coast. They remained about the harbor 

 a great deal, and were often observed making away with such scraps as 



