LAUID.K — TIIK GULLS AND TEUNS — XEMA 



271 



Th« Fork-tailed Gull is an almost «'xcliisivt'ly Arctic species. It is found in the 

 l)i('odiiig-seasoii in tlie fxtrenie nortlicrn portions of Anieritia and Asia, Imt is of 

 (iiily occasional occurrcncfo in Europe. So far as is now known, it l)rce<ls exclusively 

 in North Anieri(;a aiul in ])ortious of Asia. In the winter it wanders south of the 

 Antic Circle; but at all times the larger iMU-tion of the birds of this species remain 

 ill high northern latituih's, only a very small nuudHH* wandering us far south us the 

 I'liited States. 



This liuU is of occasional occurrence in New England, and is probably found there 

 mure frequently than the present scanty records wcjuld seem to indicate. One was 

 slidt in September, 1S74, in Hostou ILirlM)r, and is now in the coUection of Mr. Wil- 

 liam IJrewster; and early in June, 1.S7S, Mr. IJoardman procured a fine example on 

 the St. Croix. This gentlenum had beciome aware that this species was jtresent in 

 that region every spring, but had never before Ix-en al)le to secure an example. He 

 had often noticed it among tluf numerous iJonajiarte CJulls, of which a '* curtluod " 

 liail to be 8a(!rificed iM-fore the desired Sahin't could be secured. 



Mr. Howard Saunders, referring to its autumnal movements southward, mentions 

 till' jmicuring of many examples of this species on the ISritish coast, and on that of 

 the continent of Europe, as far south as Ilolstein and Franco; these were mostly 

 iuiiiiatine birds. One adult was taken on the coast of lirittany, Aug. 2,'i, 1S7L'. In 

 America he cites the range of this (Jull as t'xtending to New Y(U'k on the east, and 

 (ireat Salt Lake in the interior. In the Museum of the rniversity "f .Midiigan there 

 is said to Ix! an example jirocured near Tumbez, one of the Macabi Islands, on the 

 .oast of Tern, in latitiule 8° south. 



Tliis species was first described by Saiane from specimens obtained by his brother, 

 Ciilonel Edward, a mendM-r of the Nortiiwest Expedition of 1818. The account of 

 its capture is to the eifect that this bird was seen and kille<l on the L'iith of July, 1818, 

 Dii l; group of thre«i rocky islands, each about a mile in diameter, on the west coast 

 (if (irceuland, twenty miles from the mainland, in hit. 75° I'iV N. It was in company 

 with Arctic Terns, both species breeding on those islands, and their nests being inter- 

 iiiiiij,'lcd. This (iull was said to lay two eggs on tiie bare ground, which were hatdu'd 

 the last week in July. The young at first are mottled with brown, and of a dull 

 yellow. Tin; »'ggs are described as In-ing an inch and a half in length, of regular 

 shape, and not nnich pointed ; the color is olive, blotched with brown. The {tarent 

 liinls Hew with great impetuosity toward perscms ai»proaching their nest and young; 

 ami when one bird of a pair was kilh'd, its nuite, altlumgh freciuently shot at, con- 

 tiimed on the wing close to the spt>t where its dead mate lay. These birds ap]H'ared 

 to get their food on the sea-beach, standing near the water's edge and picrking up 

 marine insects cast on the siiore. 



During the secoiul Arctic voyage, a (Hull of this species was seen in I'rince Regent's 

 Inlet; and afterward many specimens were ol)tinned on Melville Peninsula. This 

 Innl has also been met with at Spitzbergen, Igloolik, Jichring's Straits, Cape Garry, 

 ami Felix IIarl)or. The Eskimos infornu-d Sir .Fames ('. Ross that it breeds in great 

 numbers west of Neitgelli. It is said to arrive in high northern latitudes in June, 

 ..nil to move southward in August. AN'hen recently killed, its under plumage is of a 

 delicate pink blush-color. 



In the ctmrse of a voyage from Tictou, in Nova Scotia, to Hidl, in England, Mr. 

 Tlmiiias Ma<'ullock saw great numbers of this species when more th.in a hundred 

 miles otT Newftvundlantl. They flew around the ship in company wii . an almost 

 fiiu.il ninuber of Koss's Gull. 



"I'lii" bird is mentioned by Keinhardt as being very rare in the Danish settle- 



