158 GULLS 



two-thirds of the web below the black mark white (Fig. 78, a); second 

 primary similar, but second white mark is a round spot on inner web and 

 black occupies a greater space near tip, but does not continue so far down 

 on feather; third to sixth primaries tipped with white, which is succeeded 

 by a gradually diminishing black band which extends farther down on the 

 outer web of the feather than on the inner; rest of plumage pure white. 

 Ads. in winter. Similar, but with head and neck streaked and spotted with 

 grayish. Im. Upperparts ashy fuscous; head and nape more or less 

 streaked with pale buffy; back and wings margined or irregularly marked 

 with same color; primaries brownish black; tail the same, sometimes tipped 

 or margined with buffy ; underparts ashy fuscous, sometimes lightly barred 

 or streaked. L., 24'00; W., 17'50; T., 7'50; B., 2'30. 



Range. N. Hemisphere. In Am. breeds from s. cen. Alaska, Melville 

 Island, s. Ellesmere Land, and Cumberland Sound s. to s. B. C., s. Alberta, 

 n. N. D., cen. Wise., s. Ont., n. N. Y., and Maine, and iri Europe s. to n. 

 France and e. to White Sea; winters from s. E. C. s. to L. Calif., and w. 

 Mex., and from Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Great Lakes s. to the 

 Bahamas, Cuba, Yucatan, and coast of Tex., and, in Europe, to Mediter- 

 ranean and Caspian Seas. 



Washington, common W. V., Oct.-May 10. Long Island abundant W. V., 

 Oct.-Apl., a few summer. Ossining, common T. V., Sept. 21-May 9; com- 

 mon W. V. when river is open. Cambridge, abundant W. V., Oct. 15-May 

 8. N. Ohio, common P. R. on Lake Erie. Glen Ellyn, T. V. chiefly spring, 

 occasional W. V., Dec. 4-Apl. 7. SE. Minn., occasional in summer, Apl. 1. 



Nest, of grasses, moss, seaweed, etc., on the ground, but, where the 

 birds have been persistently robbed, it is more compactly built and placed 

 in trees sometimes fifty feet or more from the ground. Eggs, 2-3, grayish 

 olive-brown, rarely whitish, spotted, blotched, and scrawled with distinct 

 and obscure chocolate markings, 2'85 x T90. Date, Midriff Lake, N. Y., 

 May 3; Isle Royal, Mich., May 20. 



This species is by far the most abundant winter Gull along the 

 coasts of the Middle and Southern States. Unlike the more pelagic 

 species, it frequents our rivers and harbors, feeding about piers and 

 wharves, and near the cities where as a scavenger it is of the highest 

 value. Sometimes one may see them 'bedded' in flocks on the water 

 where they alight to rest. It is generally this species which follows in 

 the wake of our coastwise vessels, sailing astern, when the wind is from 

 ahead, without the slightest perceptible movement of the wings. 



1902. MACKAY, G. H., Auk, IX, 221-228. 1903. DUTCHER, W. and 

 BAILY, W. L., Auk, XX, 417-431 (nesting). 1900. CHAPMAN, F. M., 

 Bird-Lore, II, 10, 11 (value as scavengers). 



54. Larus delawarensis Ord. RING-BILLED GULL. Ads. in summer. 

 Back and wings pearl-gray; first primary black, with a white spot near 

 tip, base of inner half of inner web pearl-gray (Fig. 78, b) ; second primary 

 black, basal half of inner web pearl-gray; on the third to sixth primaries 

 the black decreases rapidly, and each one is tipped with white; rest of plu- 

 mage pure white; bill greenish yellow with a black band in front of the nostril. 

 Ads. in winter. Similar to above, but head and nape streaked with grayish. 

 Im. Upperparts varying from ashy fuscous, the feathers margined with 

 whitish, to pearl-gray, the feathers more or less mottled, spotted, or, on head 

 and neck, streaked with ashy fuscous; outer primaries black, tail varying 

 from pearl-gray, more or less mottled with blackish, to white, and crossed 

 near end by a wide band of black; basal half of bill yellowish, end black. 

 L., 18-50; W., 14-00; T., 6'00; B., 1'60. 



Range. N. America. Breeds from s. B. C., Great Slave Lake, s. Kee- 

 watin, and s. Ungava s. to s. Ore., s. Colo., n. N. D. f cen. Wise., cen. Ont. 



