248 EXPEDITION TO JAPAN. 



From Benicia, California. Specimens of this handsome species are now frequently to he met 

 with in collections from the western coast of North America, where it appears to he a common 

 species. This hird is closely allied to Larus argentatus, hut is apparently different in some 

 minor characters. It agrees quite well with all the characters indicated in Pallas' description 

 ahove cited, except in the colors of the hill and feet, which are, however, evidently liahle to 

 vary, and to be very unreliable in preserved specimens. 



STERNAMINUTA, Linnfeus. 



Stekna minuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, p. 228, (1766.) 



Gould, B. of Eur. V, pi. 420, Wilson, Am. Orn. VII, pi. 60, fig. 2. 



Several specimens in the collection of the expedition are apparently identical with others now 

 before us from the coast of Europe. The bill may be perhaps rather larger, in which respect 

 they approximate to S. nereis, Gould, a bird of Australia ; but the black line from the nostril 

 to the eye is well defined, and in all other characters they are clearly S. minuta. 



"Loo Choo, August, 1854, eye black." 



Mr. Heine observes : 



"Seen very frequently about the coral reefs, surrounding Napha harbor, Loo Choo. Its 

 flight is very swift, and sometimes it suddenly stops, flutters for a moment suspended in the 

 air, and then dashes almost perpendicularly into the water. In this manner it catches fishes, 

 which, if small, are devoured immediately, but, if larger, it flies away to some neighboring 

 rock and eats them leisurely. 



