389 



The only instance of its appearance elsewhere in Europe is the single occurrence on 

 Heligoland, recorded by Gatke (Vogelwarte Helgoland, p. 577), who states that he procured 

 one during the severe winter of 1845. 



In North America this Gull is widely distributed, and common in many parts of British 

 North America and in the Northern United States. 



Sir John Richardson met with it on Great Bear Lake, and found it breeding on Bear Lake 

 River; Mr. Bernard Ross obtained it on the Mackenzie River, and Capt. Blakiston (Ibis, 1863, 

 p. 153) found it in great numbers at the mouth of Hayes River on the west coast of Hudson's Bay. 

 On the west coasts of the continent it does not appear to be so common as on the east side. 

 According to Mr. E. W. Nelson (Cruise of R.S. ' Corwin,' p. 108) it " is a very rare bird along the 

 Alaskan coast of Bering Sea, being found there during the migrations merely as a straggler from 

 its breeding grounds in the interior. There is no record of either this or Lams brachyrhynchus 

 from any of the Bering Sea Islands, but the latter is far less numerous and widely spread on the 

 shores of this sea than the former. I found Bonaparte's Gull numerous only in one instance in 

 the vicinity of St. Michael's. This was towards the end of September 1880, when for a few days 

 they were abundant along the canal which separates St. Michael's Island from the mainland. 

 There is no record of its presence along the shore of the Arctic, although it may possibly occur 

 at the head of Kotzebue Sound." Mr. Turner (Nat. Hist. Alaska, p. 126) only met with it at 

 the mouth of the Kuskokvim River on the 17th June. Dr. Cooper and Dr. Suckley both speak 

 of it as being common at Puget Sound at all seasons of the year ; and Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and 

 Ridgway say (Water-B. of N. Am. ii. p. 262) that they appear about San Francisco only from 

 September to May, and do not seem to migrate as far south as San Diego, although Dr. Cooper 

 met with some at San Diego late in May in immature dress. Henshaw (Auk, 1885, p. 232) 

 speaks of it as being not uncommon in San Diego Bay in December, and he saw it on the coast 

 further north in November; and Evermann (Auk, 1886, p. 89) says that it is common in the 

 spring and fall in Ventura county, California, and is seen there occasionally in the winter. 

 According to Professor Kumlein it is the most common Gull of Southern Wisconsin, arriving in 

 April, and in some summers immature birds may be seen throughout the season, but no old ones 

 are met with in the summer. It has been obtained in the autumn as late as the 7th November. 

 On the east coast I observed it on several occasions near Point Lepreax on the coast of New 

 Brunswick, and my friend Mr. George A. Board man records it as common in the autumn and 

 winter at Calais, Maine. Mr. Ridgway (Water-B. of N. America, ii. p. 262) says: "In my visits 

 to Eastport, the Bay of Fundy and its islands, I have noticed them in large numbers in the 

 months of June and July. I could obtain, however, no evidence in any quarter of their nesting 

 in that vicinity. If they do breed there it has entirely escaped the notice of those who live in 

 that region. The Gulls were all in flocks, and mostly in mature plumage, but all appeared to be 

 unmated. I found them on the water at all hours of the day and night, and, as they were very 

 rarely molested, they were exceedingly tame and unsuspicious." 



According to Mr. Merriam (B. of Connecticut, p. 132) this Gull "Is tolerably common in 

 fall. Captain Brooks writes me that they are ' quite common about Faulkner's Island, Conn., in 

 October and November,' and that he occasionally sees them ' with Terns at Goose Island, Conn., 

 in summer.' Linsley states that he ' obtained an individual of this beautiful species of Gull, 



