BLACK-HEADED, OR LAUGHING GULL. 127 
Galveston Bay, April 26. 1837.—Black-headed Gulls are not unfre- 
quently seen hovering over the inner ponds of these islands, as if in 
search of food. They are now all paired, and very noisy. 
May 4.—I observed to-day that at the single cry of a Black- 
headed Gull, all others within hearing at once came towards the caller, 
and this never failed when any of them had found floating garbage on 
which to feed. These, as well as all other gulls, pat the water with 
their feet, their legs being partially extended, whilst assisting them- 
selves with the bill to pick up any floating food. At this time the 
whole group emit a more plaintive single note than usual. They come 
not unfrequently within a few yards of our vessel at anchor, and when 
the food thrown to them is exhausted, they separate, and at once renew 
their repeated cries. I observed that the few immature birds among 
the old ones, were quite silent even when in the company of the adults. 
When the young are nearly able to fly, they are by no means bad eating. 
Larus Arriciiia, Linn. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 225.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 812. 
—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 359. 
Biack-HEADED GuxiL, Larus ripisunDus, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. ix. p. 89. 
pl. 74. fig. 4. 
BLack-HEADED GULL, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 291. 
Adult Male in spring. Plate CCCXIV. Fig. 1. 
Bill rather shorter than the head, nearly straight, moderately 
stout, compressed. Upper mandible with its dorsal outline straight to 
the middle, then curved and declinate, the ridge convex, the sides rapid- 
ly sloping, the edges sharp and direct, the tip rather obtuse but sharp- 
edged. Nasal groove rather long and narrow; nostrils in its fore part, 
longitudinal, submedial, large, linear-oblong, broader anteriorly, per- 
vious. Lower mandible with the angle long and pointed, the outline 
of its crura decurved anteriorly, that of the ridge slightly concave and 
ascending, the sides erect and nearly flat. 
Head of moderate size. Neck of ordinary length. Body compact. 
Feet rather long, stoutish ; tibia bare below for three-fourths of an inch, 
covered behind with narrow scutella; tarsus compressed, anteriorly 
covered with numerous curved scutella, laterally with small oblong 
scales, posteriorly with small scutella. Toes slender, of moderate 
length, covered above with numerous scutella; first extremely small, 
