18 NOTES ON THE 
LARUS DELAWARENSIS Orv. (54.) 
RING-BILLED GULL. 
The Ring-billed Gulls have become much more numerous 
through a gradual increase since my first observation of them 
in 1857. 
They are the most abundant of their family, and extensively 
distributed over the lacustrine regions of the commonwealth, 
breeding in all places adapted to their habits. Prof. Clarence 
Herrick reported them abundantly breeding at Lake Shatek in 
the southwestern part of the State—Murray county I believe— 
as early as any were reported to me from remote parts. Within 
much less distant points, I observed that it was relatively 
common and within a short period its extensive breeding has 
been fully known. 
They may be seen as early as the 10th of April in forward 
seasons, but are more frequently later, but at once upon their 
arrival seem to be as much at home as if no inclement season 
had driven them southward six months before. At Bigstone, 
and at Mille Lacs lakes, and doubtless at a large number of 
other similar lakes amongst the thousands of the State, they 
breed on the ground, and where available on elevated promon- 
tories, but where the country is uniformly flat, as in Grant 
county where I have been to study their nidifications, they 
seek sandy shores or even small ponds occasionally, in very 
infrequented sections. Wherever it is they are gregarious. 
Mosses constitute the bulk of the material of their nests, 
with which there is employed more or less grass, and from 
continuing to add a little new material every year, the nests 
often become quite elevated and remarkably conspicuous 
occasionally after several years. 
About the first week in June the work of incubation com- 
mences by the daily deposit of a grayish-green egg, until three 
are layed. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Head, neck, tail, and under parts, pure white; back and 
wings light pearl-blue; first and second primaries black two- 
thirds their length towards the end, the three next quills with 
the black much less in extent, and on the sixth it is reduced to 
a subterminal bar; the first quill is black at the end, above 
which is a broad white band; the second quill black to its tip, 
with a white spot on the inner web an inch and a half from the 
end; the other primaries tipped with white; secondaries and 
tertiaries ending in white; iris, yellow; bill crossed near the 
