LARID^— THE GULLS AND TEENS. 233 



gray, passing terminally into whiie, and without a trace of blaok. Bill greenish yellow, 

 crossed near the end by a blackish band, the tip sometimes tinged with orange; rictus and 

 eyelids vermiliou-red; interior of mouth rich orange-red, more intense posteiiorly: iris 

 clear pale yellow, sometimes tinged with greenish; claws blaok.» Adult, in winter: Sim- 

 ilar, but the head and n^ck, except beneath, streaked with brownish gray. Toung, first 

 plumage: Above, brbwntsh dusky, the feathers bordered with pa'.e grayish buff; primaries 

 blrtckish dusky, the inner quills bluish gray basally, and tipped with white; secondaries 

 bluish gray on basal halt, dusky black terminally where edged with white ; basal two thirds 

 of the tail pale gray, more whitish basally, mottled with deeper grayish; terminal third 

 dusky black, narrowly tipped with white. Lower parts white, spotted laterally with gray- 

 ish brown. "Bill black, base ot lower mandible and edges of the upper, toward the base, 

 livid flesh-oolor; edges of eyelids livid blue; iris hazel; feet purplish gray, claws brownish 

 black" (A.UDUBON). 



Lehgth, about 18.00-20.00 inches; wing, 13.60^15.75 (average, 14.45); culmen, 1.55-1.75 (1.64); 

 depth of bill through angle. .50-.65 (.56); tarssus, 1.90-2.45 (2.14); middle toe. 1.30-1.60 (1.46). 

 [Sixteen adults.] 



Like the Herring Gull (Z. argentaPus smithsoniomus), this is a 

 common species throughout eastern North America, the north- 

 ern border of the United States being, approximately, the 

 southern limit of its summer home, and the northern limit of 

 its winter range. Its habits are essentially like those of its 

 larger relative. 



Larus atricilla Linn. 



LATrOHING GUXL. 



Fopnlar synomyms. Black-headed Q-ull; Apipisca grande de alas largas (Mexico); 



Gaviota (Mexico). 

 Larus atricilla Linn. S, N. ed. 10. I, 1758. 13S ; ed. 12. i. 1766, 225 (based on Icarus major 



Catesb. i, 89, but also includes the European species, L. rldibundus Linn.).— Nutt. 



Man. ii, 1834, 291.— AuD. Orn. Biog. iv, 183S, 118, pi. 314; Synop. 1839, 321; B. Am. vii. 



1844, 136. pi. 443.— CouES, Key, 1872, 315; Check List, 1873, No. 554.— Saundebs, P. Z. 8. 



1878, 194.- RiDGW. Norn. N. Am. B. 18sl. No. 673; Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 35.-B. B. & B. 



Water B N. Am. ii. 1884. 254.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 58. 

 Larus (Chroicocevhalus atricilla Bkuch, J.'f. 0. 1853. 106.- CouES, B. N. W. 1874, 650. 

 Chroicocephalux atricilla Lawr. in B .ird's B. N. Am. 1858, 850.— Baird, Cat. N. Am. B. 



1859. No. 667.— COUES, Prop. Acad. Nat. Soi. Phila. 18ii2, 310;2d CheokList, 1882, No. 786. 

 Larus ridibundas Wils. Am. Orn. ix. 1814. 89, pi. 74, flg. 4 (not of Linn.). 

 Larus plumbioeps Brehm, Lehrb. 722 (Geat). 

 Larus (A trioilla) megalopterus Bbuch, J. f. 0. 1855. 287. 

 Atricilla calesbmi Bonap. Naumannia. 1854. 212. 

 Atricilla minor BoNAF. 1. o. 

 Atricilla imacroptera Bonap. 1. o. 

 Larus {Atricilla) micropterus Bbuce, t. o. 283. 



^" Adult male, in summer. Bill marked opposite the angle with a broad transverse 

 band ot brownish black, between which and the base it Is light greenish yellow, the tips 

 orange-yellovr. Kdges of eyelids greenish yellow; iris bright yellow. Feet greenish yel.- 

 low, the webs tinged with orange, claws blaok" (Audobon). 



—30 



