The Iceland Gull 



the Aleutians and Kotzebue Sound; then hyperborens, with palest gray 

 mantle and white primaries, breeding north to Point Barrow and Banks 

 Land; and, lastly, Pagophila alba, the all white bird, who would nest on 

 the Pole itself, if that would stand still long enough. A beautiful grada- 

 tion from Ethiopian brunette to Eskimo blond ! But what is the meaning 

 of it all? One can see why an "ice gull" should be white, but why should 

 heermanni and fuliginosus and modestus of the tropics be sooty? and 

 why this accurate gradation? 



Taken near Santa Barbara 



WHERE TRITON BLOWS HIS WREATHED HORN 



Photo by the A uthor 



No. 272 



Iceland Gull 



A. O. U. No. 43. Larus leucopterus Faber. 



Description. — "Similar in coloration to L. hyperboreus, but much smaller, with 

 relatively smaller bill and feet and longer wing" — Ridgway. Length of adult about 

 609.6 (24.00); wing 101.6 (4.00); tail 41.9 (1.65); bill II. 2 (.44); tarsus 13.7 (.54). 



Recognition Marks. — Gull size; nearly white coloration of adult, very light 

 coloration of immature; much smaller than Glaucous Gull. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in California. Nest and Eggs: Much as in next 

 species. Av. size 68 x 48 (17.3 x 12.2) (Bent). Season: June. 



General Range. — Coasts of the North Atlantic and adjacent portions of the 

 Arctic Ocean. Breeds in Arctic regions from Victoria Land, Boothia Peninsula, and 

 western Greenland, east (probably) to Nova Zembla; winters south along the Labrador 



1365 



