LAEUS AEGENTATUS, HERRING GULL. 633 



TTbich s'obools in myriads along the coast, affordidg the fishermen almost 

 their only bait for cod. The breeding range is chiefly from New En- 

 gland to Labrador. Birds occasionally reach Greenland, yet Labrador 

 is the regular tenninus. When the fall migration occurs they are spread 

 along our whole Atlantic coast, but principally from New England to 

 the Garoliuas, where many winter. I observed them constantly at Fort 

 Macon, North Carolina, from September through May. In wiut»?r they 

 are very abundant, being, in fact, the characteristic and only common bird 

 of the family. There is little falling off in their numbers during March .; 

 most wend their way north early in April, when the Terns and Hooded 

 Gulls make their appearance, but some linger through May. In the 

 fall some arrive in September, but they are not plentiful until the latter 

 part of October. Being here rarely molested, they get quite tame, often 

 mixing with the domestic Geese around the fort, and sometimes permit- 

 ting an approach within a fevv feet, though in general they show an ap- 

 preciation of the limits of gunshot range. Most of the mature birds 

 gain their nuptial livery before leaving. They are nearly silent during 

 the winter, except when quarreling over their food ; but they grow 

 noisy in April, at the approacli of the breeding season, and before they 

 finally' depart the air fairly resounds with their harsh cries. 



A great part of their food at this season consisted ot the refuse from 

 the fort ; they were always hovering over the spot where the garbage 

 was thrown, contending for the booty with Turkey-buzzards and Fish 

 Grows. At ebb-tide they frequently strung along the beach, at the 

 water's edge," "gathering various animal and vegetable substances 

 stranded by the receding waves. A favorite resort was the large sand 

 spots and muddy flats of the harbor, where they gathered soft molluscs, 

 ascidians, and other matters. They seemed particularly fond of a kind 

 of bivalve there, the Cytharea gigantea. Holding the shell under their 

 feet, as a Hawk would its quarry, they hammered with the beak until 

 the shell was broken in, and feasted on the contents. They managed 

 the Pectens (P. dislocatus) in the same manner, but the quahogs were 

 too much for them. I once found remains of a marsh hare in the 

 stomach of one of these Gulls. 



In the interior, I have found this species on the Upper Missouri, and 

 ■we have authentic advices of its occurrence in sevei'al of the States, par- 

 ticularly those in the region of the Great Lakes. I have also seen speci- 

 mens from the Pacific coast. 



Va/r. occiDENTALis, (Aud.) Coues. 



DiAG. L. argentaio similis, sedpalHo valde obscuriore {intense pluvtVeo) et rosiro brevi, alti- 

 ore, roiustissimo. 



Hab. — Pacific coast of North America (and Asia?) 



Bill large, very stout and deep ; tbe sulmen convex at the end ; the c.ngle stronglv 

 developed, niakiuK the under outline doubly concave. Feet lurge and stout ; the tarsus 

 equal to the middle toe and claw. 



Adult, summer jjlumage.—Bin bright ehromc-ycllow ; a vermilion spot, more or less 

 extensive, at the angle. Mantle dark blnisli-ash, almost slate-color ; the tips of thu 

 secondaries- and tertials white; the line of demarcation distinct. Primaries: first 

 three black throughout their exposed porlions, the outer white for some distance at 

 the tip (1.75.inohes), crossed near the end with an irregular black bar, the shalts en- 

 tirely black ; second, without a white spot, but its tip, and the tips of all tbe others, 

 white. Legs aud feet flesh-color. 



Approaching maturiig.—As in the preceding, but the upper parts rather lighter, and 

 the tail with an imperfect subterrainal bar. 



Iiitemitdiate.—BU\ much as in the adult. White of the head, neck, and under parts, 

 more or less mottled with dusky ; " gull-blue" of the upper parts appearing in irregular 

 patches; most of the feathers tipped with light gray. Primaries awd tail uniform 

 deep blackish-brown, with scarcely lighter tips, the former without spots. 



