KITTIWAKE GULL. 549 



adult bird, probably accustomed to such surroundings, visits the still 

 waters in the limits of this city, cruising about for floating fragments, or 

 resting buoyantly upon the water, apparently somewhat flattered to find 

 himself an object of interest. 



The Herring Gull, like most of the members of this family, breeds in 

 communities. The nest is placed on the ground, and is said to be large 

 and bulky, composed of grass and moss. The eggs are generally three, 

 measuring about 2.80 by 1.90; the ground color is a varying shade of 

 bluish, greenish or brownish-olive, with dark markings, very variable 

 in shape, size and distribution. 



Laetjs delawarensis Ord. 



King-biUed GriiU. 



Larus zonorhynchua, Audubon, Orn. Biog., iii, 1835, 98 ; B. Am., vii, 1844, 152.— Kirtland, 



Ohio Geolog. Snrv., 1838, 166, 185. 

 Imtus delawarensis, Whbaton, Ohio Agric. Kep. for 1860, 371, 379 ; Kepriut, 1861, 13 ; 



Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Eep. for 1874, 575 ; Eeprint, 1875, 15.— Lastgdon, 



Oat. Birds of Gin., 1877, 18 ; Eevised List, Jonrn. Gin. Soo. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 186 ; 



Eeprint, ~0, 

 Larus delawarensis, Ord, Guthrie's Geog., ii, 1815, 319. 

 Zarns zonorhynohms, Eichardson, Fn. Bor-Am., ii, 1831, 421. 



Adnlt plumage precisely like that of the last species, and its changes substantially the 

 same ; bill gremish-yellow, encircled with a black land near the end, usually complete 

 sometimes defective, the tip and most of the cutting edges of the bill yellow ; in high 

 condition, the angle of the month and a small spot beside the black, red ; feet oKvaceous, 

 obscured with dusky or bluish, and partly yellow ; the webs bright chrome. Notably 

 smaller than argentatus ; length usually 18-20 inches ; extent, about 48 ; wing, about 15 ; 

 bill under 2, and only about i deep at the protuberance ; taisus, about 2, obviously lon- 

 ger than the middle toe. 



Habitat, North America generally ; throughout the interior as well as coastwise. 

 iCnba. 



Common spring and fall migrant, perhaps formerly summer resident 

 on Lake Erie ; less common in the interior of the State than the preced- 

 ing species. In this vicinity I have seen but two individuals of this 

 species in spring and in fall. Mr. Langdon notes a single specimen 

 taken in the vicinity of Cincinnati. My friend, C. J. Orton obtained 

 specimens from a considerable flock, in April, 1874, at the Licking Reser- 

 voir. 



Snb-genns Bisaa. Like sub-genus Larua, but hind toe rudimentary or minute, usually 

 without a perfect claw. 



Larus tbidactylus Linnaeus. 



JtHttisxrabe O-uU. 



Mssa tridaotylus, Whbaton, Ohio Agrio. Eep. for 1860, 371, 379 ; Eeprint, 1861, 13, 21.— 

 BlDGWAT, Ann. Lye, N. Y., x., 1874, 393. 



