20 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY 



■ (21) 58. Larus atricilla : 



Laughing Gull, (673.) 



Above dark gray. Wings largely tipped 

 with black. Head and upper neck slaty 

 black. Eyelids, tail, and underparts white, the 

 latter with a beautiful roseate tint which 

 fades gradually after death. Bill deep car- 

 mine.. Length 17 inches. 



Rare as far north as Long Island,although 

 recorded from Mass. Have never met with 

 it on L. I., but have taken many specimens 

 on the South Atlantic coast, where they are 

 common, flying along the edges of the rips in 

 search of any "small fry" the tide may have 

 forced to the surface, and easily lured within 

 gunshot by flinging a dead tern or gull over- 

 board. Breeds on small islands along the 

 coast. Nest of grasses, placed among the 

 grass. Eggs laid in May and June; bluish 

 or greenish ground, blotched and spotted 

 with browns and lilac, and average 2: 14 x 

 1.57 inches. 



(22) 60. Larus Philadelphia: 



Bonaparte's Gull, (675.) 



Above pearly gray. Wings tipped with 

 black. Head and upper neck slaty black. 

 Bend of wing, tail and under parts white. 

 Bill black. Iris hazel. Legs and feet red- 

 dish orange. Length 14 inches. 

 1 A common migrant. Less numerous in 

 the spring. A few probably remain through 

 the winter as I have seen them late in De- 

 cember. They are quite tame, and when 

 one individual of a flock is shot and falls in 

 the water, the others come and hover over it, 

 and will not leave sometimes until several 

 have been brought down. Small fish form a 

 large portion of their food, which I have 

 seen them capture in a manner very similar 

 to the Terns. Breeds far north and inland. 

 Nest placed in bushes or trees, made of 

 sticks, grass, etc. Eggs, greenish or 

 brownish ground, spotted with different 

 shades of brown and lilac, and average 

 4.93x135 inches. 



{23) 6j>. Gelochelidon nilotica. 



Gull-billed Tern, (679) 



Above light pearly gray. Primaries 

 hoary on the outer webs, darker on the inner. 

 Top of head, bill, legs and feet black. Un- 

 der part pure white. Length 13 inches; 

 tail 4 inches. 



Rare as far north as Long Island- 

 I have never met with it here. 

 Have taken it near Port Royal, S. C. and at 

 Sapelo Island, Ga., in both instances in 

 May, but they were not common. "I be- 

 came the fortunate possessor of a male and 

 female of this species July 4, 1882, While 



* * * at South Oyster Bay, Nelson 

 Verity called my attention to the cry of a 

 pair of Terns that were flying past. He 

 winged one so that it fell seme distance off 

 Its mate would not desert it, so was easily 

 secured. * * *" (Dutcher.) Mr. Dutch- 

 er also "shot a female in full plumage July 

 8, 1884, at Shinnecock Bay, while watching 

 lor Limicolac. There were five in the flock, it 

 being without doubt a family of two adults 

 and their brood of the present year. They 

 were migrating westward along the coast, 

 and must have bred further east than Long 

 Island." Breeds on the South Atlantic and 

 Gulf coast. Nest placed on ground, among 

 grass, or on the bare sand; in the latter case, 

 the nest being simply a hollow. Eggs 3 or 

 4, average 1.75x1.30 in., greenish or buffy 

 ground, marked with lilac and different 

 shades of brown. 



The Kansas City Scientist, a continuation 

 of The Naturalist, now in its fifth volumn, is 

 a 16 page illustrated monthly, devoted to 

 Art, Science and Literature. Official organ 

 of the K. C. Academy of Science. While of 

 a necessity to a certain extent technical, its 

 aim is to present scientific knowledge in as 

 popular a form as possible. Published at 

 $1.00 per year. Sample copy free to pros- 

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Editor Scientist, K. C, Mo. 



