56 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
of Indiana, 1897, p. 574) that it has been occasionally seen by Mr. J. W. 
Byrkit at Michigan City, Ind. (less than ten miles from the Michigan line). 
The bird is so similar in size, pattern of coloration, and general habits 
to the much more abundant Bonaparte’s Gull that it might be easily over- 
looked, and doubtless this has happened many times. It nests abundantly 
in parts of Iowa and Minnesota, building substantial nests on rafts of 
floating vegetation, and lays three or four heavily spotted eggs similar 
to those of Bonaparte’s Gull and averaging 1.95 by 1.34 inches. (See 
article by Dr. T. 8. Roberts, Auk VII, 1890, 272). 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Tarsus not longer than the middle toe and claw. Adult in summer with the head leaden- 
black with a white spot on each eyelid. Mantle deep plumbeous; primaries bluish-gray 
all broadly tipped with white, and five outer ones with black sub-terminal spaces. Rest 
of plumage white, or rose-tinted in the breeding season. Bill bright red with a dark sub- 
terminal band. Winter plumage of the adult similar to the summer plumage, but the 
head nearly white with only a few dark touches about the eyes and on the nape; bill and 
feet with little trace of red. The immature young has the under parts white, the mantle 
mixed gray, brown and blue, and the head similar to that of the winter adult; the outer 
five primaries commonly wholly black. Length, 13.50 to 15 inches; wing, 11.25; culmen, 
1.30. 
17. Bonaparte’s Gull. Larus philadelphia (Ord). (60) 
Synonyms: Bonaparte’s Rosy Gull, Black-headed Gull.—Sterna philadelphia, Ord, 
1815.—Larus bonapartei, Rich., 1831, Nutt., 1834, Aud., 1839.—Chroecocephalus phila- 
delphia, Lawr., 1858, and many others. 
A small white gull with pearl blue mantle and head entirely black all 
over except small white spots one above and one below each eye; the bill 
black. This is the adult bird in spring and can hardly be confounded with 
anything else. 
Distribution.—Whole of North America, breeding mostly north of the 
United States. Not yet recorded from south of the United States, though 
reported from the Bermudas. 
This is the smallest gull, in fact the only small gull which is at all common 
in Michigan waters. So far as we know at present it is a migrant only, 
retiring south of our boundaries during winter and passing entirely north 
of our limits in summer. 
There seems to be much uncertainty about the nesting of this bird. 
Several writers state that formerly it nested abundantly in all suitable 
localities along the lakes (Covert 1894-95); but it seems certain that the 
species does not breed now at St. Clair Flats, although it is said to have 
done so formerly, “laying its eggs on old logs with no signs of a nest.” 
(Collins, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, V, 1880, p. 62). Dr. R. H. Wolcott writes 
that in the summer of 1893 it was very common all summer on Lake 
St. Clair, and many were shot by members of the Michigan Fish Commis- 
sion in order to obtain parasites. Major Boies states that it is common 
on the St. Mary’s River in summer and breeds on or near Neebish Island. 
He found perfectly fresh eggs in June on a small island on the west side 
of Neebish (Bull. Mich. Orn. Club, I, 18). It has been said also to nest 
in numbers on some of the islands in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but the record 
is not entirely satisfactory. In Kumlien & Hollister’s ‘ Birds of Wisconsin” 
p. 10, we read “In 1880 a few were said to breed on Chambers Island, Green 
Bay, and we saw on some small islands in Big Bay de Noquet, Michigan, a 
number of nests like pigeons’ nests on the flat branches of low coniferous 
