350 LAKID^ : JAEGERS, GULLS, TERNS, ETC. 



pearly mantle, circling over the harbors. It can scarcely 

 be distinguished from the last under these circumstances, 

 but is constantly smaller. It is not confined to the 

 coast, being one of the species most frequently seen 

 on the larger inland waters. Its known breeding-range 

 is such that the bird will doubtless be found sometimes 

 nesting in New England, though we have at present 

 no record to that effect. Mr. Boardman speaks of 

 its presence in Maine in summer. 



KITTIWAKE GULL. 



RiSSA TRIDACTYLA {L.) Bp. 



Chars. Hind toe only appearing as a minute knob, its claw abor- 

 tive. Mantle rather dark grayish-blue; 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 else- 

 where light, and a white speck at extreme tip; on the rest of 

 the primaries that have black this color decreases in extent pro- 

 portionally 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 Rissa) ; and these all have 

 white apex. Bill yellow, usually clouded with olivaceous. Rather 

 small. Length, i6.oo-i8.oo; wing, 12.00; bill, i. 33-1. 50; tar- 

 sus about the same ; middle toe and claw longer. Tail usually 

 slightly emarginate. In winter, nape and hind neck shaded with 

 the color of the mantle. Young : bill black ; a black bar on the 

 tail, another across the neck behind; wings and back variously 

 patched with black; dark spots before and behind the eyes; 

 quills mostly black. 



On the coast in winter, and common. This is one 

 of the most abundant of the Laridce breeding in the 

 Gulf of St. Lawrence, as at the Magdalen Islands with 



