

256 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGII'ENNES. 







those birds are to be seen north of Florida after the early part of October. This is 

 an abundant and a resident species on both coasts of Florida, along the whole extent 

 of the Gulf of Alexico, and both on the Atlantic and on the I'acilic coast of Central 

 America. It is not found on the Tiieitic coast of the United States. 



This Gull is more or less abundant in nearly all the West India Islands, where it 

 breeds, and is probably resident throughout the year. Leotaud cites it as being ii 

 .somewhat uncommon visitant of Trinidad, where it is known to occur only from ,)uly 

 to October. It is a bird that is easily tamed, and will live ajjparently perfectly 

 contented and domesticated in the courtyards of dwellings. 



Professor Alfred Newton ol)taiiied examples of this species at St. Thomas, and 

 often s.aw small l)irds of this family, with a dark hood, about St. Croix, which he hiul 

 no hesitation in referring to this species. They generally kept in small flocks at no 

 great distance from the shore. Professor Newton also states that the only trust- 

 worthy instance on record of the occurrence of this Gull in Europe is that nu'utioned 

 by Colonel Montagu, which took place August, 1774. The other sui)posed instances, 

 mentioned by other writers, are now i)resumed to have reference to individuals of 

 Lams Audonim. 



Mr. E. C. Taylor mentions this species as being the only Gull he saw in the West 

 India Islands, and he did not meet with it south of the Island of St. Thomas. TIiitc, 

 however, and at Porto Pico it was very abundant, especially in the harbor of St. 

 Thomas and at San Juan de Porto Kico. 



On the authority of Mr. Hill, Mr. Gosse includes this species among the birds ot 

 Jamaica; it is found about the San Pedro Kej's. 



Mr. Salvin found it (piite eonnuon about the Belize, and thinks that it breeds ciii 

 the Keys along the coast. He subsccpu'ntly met with it both on the Atlantic iiml 

 on the Pa(!itic coast of (Juatcnuda. Individuals from the eastern coast were in the 

 plumage of sunnner ; while those from Chiapam were either in their winter or in tluir 

 immature plumage. 



Mr. Dres.ser speaks of this Gull as being abundant on th(i sea-coast of Texas durini,' 

 the summer, and he saw great numbers otf Pagdad from June to August ; when at 

 (Jalvcston in .June, 18(54, he found it breeding abiuidantly, making a very sligiit iicst 

 of straws and drift-stutf, in which it lays four eggs. The nest was generally pluccil 

 on the ground or in a tusscxik of grass. 



Dr. Pryant fouiul it abundant, resident, and breeding, at New Providence, in tlic 

 Pahamas. It is of rare occurrence in iiernuida, where !Major Wedderburu re^jorts 

 the capture of a single specimen taken alive in the winter of ISol. 



This species arrives on the coast of Long Island in the latter part of Ajjril is 

 quite common, and is well known to sportsnu'u as the " Laughing CruU" — a nami' it 

 evidently well deserves, as its notes resend)le in the nu)st striking nuvnner a loud burst 

 of derisive laughter. This is more especially the case when the bird has eggs or 

 young, aiul these are threatened by intruders. Its cries of deep distri'ss straMt,'i'ly 

 resemble shouts of laughter, and seem expressive of sentiments (piite luilike wliiit 

 they really are intended to convey. This is a courageous bird, and willingly exposes 

 itself to almost certain death in defence of its young. I have found it breeding' in 

 large numbers on the Island of Muskegat, near Nantucket, and again on small islamis 

 near the entrance of tin Chesapeake. In both these places the birds were nnidi 

 harassed, and their eggs and yoiuig were taken by the fishermen. In the former 

 place, where I found them so abundant in 1842, I am told they have already become 

 extinct. 



This Gull breeds in considerable abundance on the coast of Long Island, and its 



ki 



