18 Birds of Colorado 
tips, a small subapical white spot generally on the inner web of the 
second ; iris straw-yellow with red on the eyelid, bill greenish-yellow 
with a yellow tip and « subapical black band, feet greenish-yellow. 
Length 18-0; wing 14:25; tail 5-25; culmen 1:5; tarsus 2-0. 
In winter the head and neck are spotted with dusky. Young birds 
are mottled with dusky above and below, especially on the wing-coverts ; 
the primaries are black and there is no subapical spot on the first ; 
the tail has a broad subterminal black band ; bill yellow on basal, 
black on terminal half. 
Distribution.—Breeding chiefly in the interior of America, from 
Colorado and Newfoundland northwards to Hudson Bay and the 
Barren Grounds. In winter, on the Atlantic and Pacific coasts south 
to Cuba and Mexico. 
This is the only Gull which can be called at all common in Colorado. 
It is fairly abundant on migration in spring and autumn, and 
has been found breeding on the San Luis Lakes by Cocke. Migration 
records are—Fort Lyon, March 23rd (Cooke), near Colorado Springs, 
March 3lst to May Ist (Aiken coll.), Barr Lake in summer and 
winter, but not known to breed (Hersey & Rockwell), near Orchard 
may be seen in March (Warren), Loveland, March 9—20th (Cooke), 
all in the plains and foothills; Twin Lake (Aiken coll.), South and 
Middle Parks in spring (Carter), in the mountains ; and on the western 
slopes—Grand River, near Grand Junction, June (Rockwell), Norwood 
near Coventry, April, 1906 (Warren). 
Habits—This Gull is found about lakes and rivers, 
and has a singular habit of catching grasshoppers and 
other insects in the air, noticed by both Allen and Goss. 
Cooke found it breeding quite commonly at San Luis 
Lakes (7,500 feet) June 18th, 1898, but gives no further 
details. The nest, as with other Gulls, is placed on the 
ground, usually on islands in lakes and ponds, and is 
made chiefly of grasses ; the eggs, 2 to 3 in number, are 
whitish to clay-coloured, rather evenly spotted with 
chocolate ; they measure 2°30 x 1°65. 
Laughing Gull. Larus atricilla. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 58—Colorado Records—Morrison 89, p. 147; 
H. G. Smith 96, p 48; Cooke 97, p. 51. 
Description.—Adult in summer—Head all round slaty-black, mantle 
bluish-grey, rest of the plumage, except the primary quills, white, a 
