f^^ 



I 



230 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPENNES, 



Little is known of tlio liabits of tills Mrtl, wliicli has l)een confimndud liy authors with vaiioiis 

 other species, as is indicated hy the ahovo synonymy. The only coniiilete siiccinicn which I have 

 been able to examine is the type described above, and which I have been kindly allowed the privi- 

 leij;c of describinj; in advance of the publication of Dr. Stejne;,'('r'8 description intended for the nt'xl 

 nun\bcrof the "The Auk." A much fuller account than that herein t^iven will be pnhlished witli 

 Dr. Stejneger's imporUuit report upon the birds of the Coniwander Islands, now in course ol 

 preparation. 



Larus occidentalls. 



THE WESTEBN OUIL. 



Larus nccidenfalin, Am. Orn. Riog. V. 1830, 320; Synop. 1830, 328; B. Am. VII. 1844, Ifil, — 

 Lawk, in Baird's R N. Am. 1858, 84."). — lUiiiD, Cat. N. Am. ISoO, no. Ct)2. — Ki.i.ior. Iliiistr. 

 Am. B. II. pi. .12. — CouKS, I'r, Ac. Nat. Sci. Philiul. 18t)2, 2iMi ; 2(1 Check List, 1882, no. 774. 

 — SAUNnEiLS P. Z. S. 1878, 172. — Kinow. Nom. N. Am. P.. 1881, no. 664. 



Lania argcnfatiin, Viir. occidcnJnlin, Coui;s, Key, 1872, 312; Check List, 1873, no. 6476. 



Larus argenlatus, c. occidcnUiUs, Coi'ks, B. N. W. 1874, 626. 



"Larus fusGusl" SAU.snEii.s, P. Z. S. 1875, 158 (L. Calif.). 



IIaii. Pacific coast of North America, breediu}^ from Southern California, northward. 

 Sp. Char. Rather smaller than L. argcntatus, except the bill, which is proportionally larger, 

 with the angle of the mandible much more jjrominent ; colors much darker. Adult, in sumuur : 

 Mantle deep plumbeous, the secondaries and tertials very broadly (for one inch or more), and 



abruptly tipped with pure white. 

 Four outer primaries black, nmre 

 _^;j;rr;^ slaty basally, especially the fourth ; 



outer (|uill with about two inches ( if 

 ita terminal portion white, crossed 

 near the tip by a wide black bar, nu 

 one or both webs ; second to fil'lli 

 ([uills tipped with white, the fiftli 

 abruptly plumbeous for its basal (ex- 

 posed) two thirds ; sixth riuill plum- 

 beous, tipped with white, and witli 

 a broad subterminal bar of black ; 

 remaining shorter (juills lighter pluni- 

 bc'ius, more broadly and le,«s abruptly 

 tipped with white. Remainder nl 

 the plumage snow-white. Bill deep 

 chrome- or wax-yellow, the broail 

 part of the mandible marked by a 

 spot of bright red ; iris brown ; ftit 

 yellow ?i Adult, in icinter: Similar, 

 but the head and neck, sui)eriorly 

 and posteriorly, streaked with dusky. Young, first plumage: Above, brownish slate, irregularly 

 spotted with grayi.sh white ; romigcs, rectrice.s, and primary coverts uniform dull black, narrowly 

 tipped with white ; lower parts brownish gray, clouded or irregularly spotted with grayish while 

 — the breast and abdomen Bometimes nearly unifonn grayish. Bill dusky black terminally, 

 flesh-colored basally ; iris brown ; legs and feet flesh-color (pale brownish in akin). Don-inj 

 young :^ Grayish buffy white, the liead marked with well-defined black blotches, of indefinite 

 arrangement ; upper parts clouded or irregularly blotched with brownish dusky. Lower parts 

 (except throat) immaculate. 



1 Audubon .gives the color of the feet in this species as fle.sh-color ; but in recently prepared skins 

 which we have examined the feet aj)pear to have been rich yellow. 



* Scarcely distinguishable from young of n rgnitatus, but si)ots about the head blacker and more 

 distinctly defined, the markings of the upper parts also dark(;r. 



