550 BIRDS — LARID^. 



Laras iridactylus, Whbaton, Food of Biids, etc., Ohio Agrio. Eep.for 1874, 575 ; Beprint^ 



1875, 15. 



Larus tridaciylus, LiNNiEUS, Fn. Suec, 55. 



Bissa tridaciyla, Bonapahtb, List, 1838, 62. 



Larus {Bissa) iridactylus, Cotjes, Birds N. W., 1874, 644. 



Hind toe only appearing as a minute knob, its claw abortive. Mantle rather dark 

 grayish-blae ; first primary with the whole outer web, and the entire end for about two 

 inches, black ; next one, with the end black about as far, but outer web elsewhere 

 light, and a white speck at extreme tip ; on the rest of the primaries that have black, 

 this color decreases in extent proportionally to the shortening of the quills, So that the 

 base of the black on all is in the same line when the wings are closed (a pattern peculiar 

 to the species of Bissa) ; and these all have white apex. BUI yeUow, usually clouded 

 with olivaceous; feet dusky olivaceous. Bather small; 16-18; wing, 12; bill,ll-l| ; 

 tarsus about the same ; middle toe and claw longer ; tail usually slightly emarginate. 

 In winter, nape andhindueokshaded with the color of the mantle. Toung : — Bill black; 

 a black bar on the tail, another across the neck behind; wings and tail variously 

 patched with black ; dark spots before and behind the eyes ; quills mostly black. 



Habitai, Arctic regions of both hemispheres. South in winter on the Atlantic coast 

 to the Middle States. 



Very rare or accidental winter visitor on Lake Erie. Mr. Winslow notes 

 the occurrence of three specimens in Cleveland harbor many years since. 

 This appears to be the only record in the interior, except that of Mr. Nel- 

 son, who records one individual identified, but not captured, by Dr. Hoy, 

 on Lake Michigan, in 1870. 



Sub-genus Chroeoocephalus. Form less robust and bill more slender than in sab-genus 

 Larus ; in the breeding season ilie white of under-parts rosy-tinted, and the head enveloped 

 in a dark-colored hood. 



Labus PHILADELPHIA (Ord) Coues. 



Bonaparte's Griill. 



Larus bonapariii, Aududon, Orn. Biog., iv, 1838,212; B. Am,, vii, 1844, 131. — Trkmblt, 

 Field Notes, i, 1861, 120. 



Larus oapistriaius, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 166, 185. 



Choicocephalus Philadelphia, Whkaton, Ohio Agric. Bep. for 1860, 371 ; Eeprint, 1861, 13. 



Larus Philadelphia, Wheaton, Food of Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Bep. for 1874, 575; Ee- 

 print, 1875, 15.— Langdon, Cat. Birds of Gin., 1877, IS; EevisedList, Journ. Cin. Soo. 

 Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 186 ; Eeprint, 20. 



Sterna Philadelphia, Ord, Guthrie's Geog., ii, 1815, 319. 



Larus capistratus, Bonapartk, Am. Orn., iv, — . 



Larus tonapartei, Bichabdson, Fn. Bor-Am., ii, 1831, 425. 



Chroicoeephalus Philadelphia, Lawrence, Birds N, Am., 1858, 852. 



Larus Philadelphia, Gray, List Br. Birds, 1863, 235. 



Larus {Chrcecooephalus) Philadelphia, Coubs, Birds N. W., 1874, 655, 



Tarsus about equal to middle toe and claw. Small ; 12-14 ; wing, 9i-10i ; tarsus, 1} ; 

 bill, li-li, very slender, like a Tern's. Adult in summer -.—Bill llaek ; mantle pearly 



