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LARID.E — THE OULLS AND TERNS — LARUS. 



253 



Si I 



Adult, in winter : Similar, but the head and upper parts of the neck dusky grayish brown. Youiij, 

 tirsi plumage: Sooty t,'rayish brown, lij^liter and more j^rayish beiieatli ; \vin;^-coverts, scapuhirs, 

 rump feathers, and upper tail-coverts, bordered terniiimlly with },'rayish white ; reniiges dusky 

 lilack ; tail blackish dusky, very narrowly tipped with white. Bill brownish, the terminal thinl 

 lil.K'k ; legs and feet brownish black. 

 YdHDg (second year?); Simikr to the 

 preceding, but without light margins 

 t(i wing-coverts, etc., the general color 

 nitlier darker, and the tail without 

 white tip. Bill light reddish for ba-sal 

 two thirils, the end bLick ; legs and feet 

 lirownish black. 



Total length, about 17.50 inches ; 

 wing, 13.50 ; tail, 5.50 ; bill, from gape, 

 2.50. 



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Heermann's Gull — or the 

 White-heatled Gull, as this species 

 is oalleil by Mr. Cassin — was first 

 made known by him as a North 

 American bird in 1852, and is said 

 to be one of the handsomest of the 



huge family to which it belongs. It was first noticed by Dr. A. L. Ilcermann, who 

 found it of frequent occurrence on the coast of California, and most numerous in the 

 luubor of San Diego in the month of March, at which time, although a few of these 

 birds were in mature plumage, yet a large proportion of them were evidently in an 

 immature dress. This Gull was usually observed to be flying in comjjany with L. orvi- 

 dcntalls, and to be engaged in the capture of small fishes, of which there were many 

 sppoies in the harbor of San Diego. It also appeared to feed on the small maritime 

 animals of various kinds wliich inhabit the immense l)eds of kelp {Macrocystix) occur- 

 ring on that coast, and whicli are so extensive off the harbor of San Diego. The nests 

 anil eggs of this bird were found by Dr. Heermann on the Coronados, a group of 

 islands lying a short distance outside the entrance of this harbor. 



Jlr. Salvin met with this species on the Pacific coast of Guatemala, several speci- 

 mens having been taken near Chiapam, all in their immature plumage. The Gulls 

 were usually noticed along the shore, and not in the lagoons. 



Mr. Henshaw speaks of this species as being common all along the coast of Cali- 

 ioiiiiii, and as breeding upon many of the adjact'ut islands. A very large flock were 

 pmsuing their way along the shore near Santa Barbira, and later in the day he came 

 up(in them where they had settled on a rocky jioiut that jutted out into the water. 

 M;niy were fishing, hovering over the half-submerged kelp-<!()vered rocks, the shallow 

 water surrounding which alwunded in the smaller kinds of fish. At the discharge 

 of his gun the mass of birds flew wildly about, ami it was sonu' time before they left 

 the place. The flock was composed of old males ; and it was e\ ident that the journey 

 was one between their breeding-grounds and the fishing-place, where there was 

 probably an unusual abundance of food fitted for their j'oung. I^Ir. R. Browne met 

 with this species on tlie coast of Vancouver Island. 



Dr. Cooper writes that he has noticed this CiuU along the entire racific coast, and 

 that it was abtmdant in winter ; but that he found it rather rare in summer, and saw 

 none of this species between April and the end of .Tune, at which latter date lie saw 

 some of the young of that year about the islamls, though hi' c(«ild find no evidence of 

 their having been hatched there. Kef erring to the statement of Dr. Ilcermann tliat 



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