NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 3i 



In North America this gull is a common hird throughout its range, particularly 

 coast-wise. It is also more or less abundant on the inland lakes and rivers during 

 its periods of migration, and in many of these places it is found breeding. At 

 Moosehead Lake, Me., where a few pairs breed, the eggs are laid in the latter part ol 

 May, or in the first week of June. In the interior it is found breeding on the lakes 

 and larger bodies of water, as far north as the Mackenzie and Anderson River 

 regions. On many of the large prairie lakes of Manitoba it breeds in great numbers. 

 Mr. Prazar mentions this species as the most common of all the gulls inhabiting 

 Labrador, breeding in colonies and placing their nests on the ground.* Mr Walter 

 Raine found this gull breeding abundantly at Shoal Lake, Manitoba, June 18, 1895. 

 In many places where the Herring Gull has suffered persecution, it has been known 

 to depart from its usual habit of nesting on the open seashore, and place its nest on 

 trees sixty and seventy-flve feet from th« ground. At Grand Manan and in Labrador, 

 in some of the old breeding grounds, its human foes have brought about this change 

 in its habits. Some of the nests built on the ground are merely a shallow depres- 

 sion with a slight lining. Others are large and elaborately made of grass and moss. 

 Those built in trees are said to be strongly interwoven and very compact. Mr. Dall 

 records this gull as abundant on the Upper Yukon, Alaska. It was found breeding 

 on the islands in the river, laying its eggs in small depressions on the bare ground. 

 The complement of eggs is normally three; they vary from bluish- white to deep 

 yellowish-brown, irregularly spotted and blotched with brown of different shades; 

 in a large series a great diversity of ground-color and ma:rkings exists. Mr. Elwin 

 A. Capen in his superb workf figures three prevailing types of coloration. The 

 sizes range from 2.73 to 2.91 long by 1.64 to 1.94 broad. 



52. VEGA GULL. Larus vegae (Palmen.) Geog. Dist. — Bering Sea and ad- 

 jacent waters, south in winter to California and Japan. 



This form of the Herring Gull is "characterized by a particularly dark guH-gray 

 mantle 'and flesh-colored legs" and is found in the countries bordering Bering Sea 

 and adjacent waters. It is said to breed on the Islands of the Upper Yukon River, in 

 the first part of May, depositing its eggs in slight depressions of the bare ground. 

 The eggs are not likely to be distinguishable from those of the Herring Gull, L. 

 argentatus. 



53. CALIFOKNIA GTTLL. Larus californicus Lawr. Geog. Dist. — ^Western 

 North America. 



The California Gull is found along the Pacific coast in winter, but retires to its 

 breeding places in the summer months. Its breeding grounds seem to be inland, on 

 ,the lakes and large bodies of water. It breeds abundantly on Great Salt Lake and 

 Pyramid Lake, Utah, and on Lake Malheur, in Eastern Oregon. It has been found 

 nesting as far north as Great Slave Lake, Fort Resolution, Port Simpson and the 

 Lower Anderson River. The nests of this species are made on the ground, or built 

 on rocks and, sometimes where the birds are breeding in vast colonies, the nests are 

 placed on stunted sage or greasewood bushes. They are built of sticks, grass and a 

 few feathers. The eggs are usually three or four in number, occasionally five. Prof. 

 Marcus E. Jones Informs me that at Great Salt Lake this gull generally lays five 

 eggs. These are deposited in a little bare spot surrounded by a few twigs, the hollow 



* Ornithologist and Oolosist, Vol. XII, p. 18. 



+ Oology of New England; a description of the eggs, nests dnd breeding habits of the 

 birds known to breed in New England, with colored illustrations of their eggs. By 

 Elwin A. Capen. Boston, 1886. 

 A 



