m 



254 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONOIPENNES. 



this species breeds on the Coronados Islands, Ur. Cooper remarks that it probably 

 breeds on other island groups on the coast south of San Francisco. 



These birds are common as far north in the summer as the Straits of Fuca, but 

 come soutli to the Columbia in winter. The young-plumaged birds are very constant 

 attendants on the flocks of Pelicans, and rob the latter of a portion of the tish which 

 these bring up in their scooi>like pouches, seizing upon those whitdi fall out or hanj,' 

 outside, the Pelicans never resenting this treatment. Audubon ascribes the same 

 habit to the Ulack-headed Gull in Florida. 



At San Diego Dr. Cooper did not observe that this species followed the rdicans 

 so much as it does at the north. It is almost exclusively a Hsh-cater, and is known 

 to dive for this food. It is also very nuu-h given to frecpicnting the fields of kcl)) 

 which fringe the shores, at a distance of from one to three miles, where it finds small 

 Crustacea and moUusca. In one instance only did he see one of tMiis species feedinj,' 

 on the carcase of a bird, and this was a bird which he liiniself had thrown away. Tliis 

 trull also follows vessels in or near the bays, but never acciompanies them far to sea, 

 altliough its flight is very rapid. Dr. Heermann mentions having once seen this 

 siKJcies feeding on a dead seal. 



According to Dr. Newberry, this species is common as far up the Sacramento as 

 Feather River ; but Dr. Cooper never saw it far from the salt water. Its voice is 

 said to be faint, and rather querulous ; and it is rarely heard except when the bird 

 is fishing. 



Colonel Gray.son met with this species on the I'acific coast near Jlazatlan, in 

 Western Mexico, and also on the Island of Isalx'lla ; but it was not common tlieic 

 In the neighl)orhood of Afazatlan it occurred chiefly as a winter visitor. Specimens 

 were shot on the sea-beach near that city in February and March. An egg of this 

 species collected by Colonel (Jrayson on an island near Alazatlan (Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, No. l«ol9) is of a rather oblong oval form, tapering toward one end, ami 

 rounded at the other. It measures 'J.liii inches in length by 1.05 in breadth. Its 

 ground-color is a light clayishnlrab, over which it is marked with bold spots of lihu - 

 gray and two different shades of .sepia-brown. Another egg in my collection — pro- 

 cured from the Farallones by ^\v. (Jeorge F. Faidkner — measures li.27 inches in lenu'li 

 by 1.55 in breadth. Its ground-color is a deep drab, and the markings are larj^c 

 blotches of dark bistre, approacihing to blackness. Thesi" are scattered over the 

 surface of the egg, and are of rounded shape about the snnilh'r end, and more irreguhir 

 in shape, and more confluently groui)ed together, about the larger end. The obscure 

 shell-marks of lilac are few and scattered. 



Lams atricilla. 



THE LAUOHINO OULL. 



Lams atridlln, Usy.S. N. c<l. 10, 1. 1758, 13fi ; ed. 12, 1. 1766, 22.5 {hanpiX on Laru.t w"j'>r, 

 t'atcsb. I. 8!>, Imt also indudos the Eiii-opciin H|H'('ics, L. ridibundun, Linn.). — Nutt. jMuii. II. 

 1834, 291. — Aun. Om. Biog. IV. 1838, 118, \A. 314; .Syiiop. 1839, 324 ^ W. Am. VII. isil, 

 136, pi. 443. — CoUEM, Key, 1872, 315 ; Chenlc List, 1873, tio. 554. — Saundeiw, P. Z. S. 1S78, 

 194. — Rinr.w. Nom. N. Am. ». 1881, no. 673. 



Lanu (ahroxcocf)tluilHs) atricilla, Binrcii, J. f. O. 1853, 106. — Coubh, B. N, W. 1874, 650. 



Chrnicoeephnhui (itriciUa, I.AWit. in Bainl's B. N. Am. 1858, 850. — Baiiid, <"nt. N. Am. H. IfTifl, 

 no. 667. — CoiTEs, Pr. Ac. Nnt. .Sci. Pliiliul. 1862, 310 ; 2(1 Cliwk List, 1882, no. 786. 



Lnrtu ridibiindus, Wiij<. Am. Oni. I.X. 1814, 89, pi. 74, fig. 4 (not of Linn.). 



Larits plumbifepg, Brriim, I^tlirb. 722 ((iiiAV). 



fjinu (AlricilUi) megnloiUmis, Biiucil, J. f. 0. 1855, 287. 



