BIKDS LARIDAE LARUS DELAWARENSIS. 
847 
Sp. Ch. — Mult. The head, neck, under parts and tail are pure white ; back and wings very light pearl blue ; first and 
second primaries black for two-thirds of their length towards the end, the three next quills have the black much less in extent, 
and on the sixth it is reduced to a sub-terminal bar, the first quill is black at the end, above which is a broad white band, the 
second quill is black to the tip, with a white spot on the inner web an inch and a half from the end, the other primaries tipped 
with white; secondaries and tertiaries ending in white; iris yellow; bill crossed near the end with a blackish brown band, 
between which and the base it is greenish yellow, the tip is yellow ; tarsi and feet greenish yellow. 
Length, about 20 inches ; wing, 15 ; tail, 6 ; bill, 1| ; depth at angle, i ; tarsus, 2£. 
Young. On the upper plumage mottled with blackish brown and gray ; beneath grayish white, with light brown spots ; 
primaries black ; tail white, with a sub-terminal black band ; bill black, with the base yellow. 
Hah. — Arctic America ; Texas to Labrador ; western rivers ; northwest coast. 
No bird possessing the peculiar character of Mr. Ord's " delaivarensis," also named "The 
Toothed-bill Gull," has been met with since the time of his description, nor has his species 
been identified with any other. His account of its measurements and coloration agrees 
precisely with the adult L. zonorhynchus, the only character to reconcile is the toothed bill ; 
this I consider as a possible malformation, or probably an accidental toothing, caused by its 
being worn in some particular mode of feeding. 
It is, of course, difficult to establish certainly the identity of Mr. Ord's species with the present, 
but I am strongly of the opinion that they are the same, for the reasons given above, and also 
from the fact of no others having been obtained. As all our species are abundant, if this was 
really distinct, it surely could not have so long escaped observation. 
Feeling, therefore, quite confident that Mr. Ord's species can be no other than the one now 
described, I have given his name priority. 
Below I have given Mr. Ord's description. 
"Length, 19^ inches; extent, 46; upper mandible with four indentations or blunt teeth, 
lower with three; corner of mouth and eyelids bright vermilion; head, neck, tail, and beneath, 
pure white ; wings, back and scapulars, blue ash. Weight, 19 ounces." 
I have appended to this, and also to the account of several other species, extracts from some 
original notes made by Dr. Suckley in Washington Territory. 
Note by Dr. Suckley. — "This gull is quite common on Puget's Sound in winter. It seems to 
be subject to great changes in color of plumage, feet and bill, at different ages. The habits of 
this bird have been so well described by Nuttall and others, that I have scarcely anything to 
add. On Puget's Sound, during the cool months, this species is found abundantly on the 
marshes and flats at the mouths of the different rivers emptying into the Sound. When an 
individual is wounded, like other gulls, his comrades hover over and circle around the victim, 
as if impelled by motives of curiosity or compassion ; at this time frequently the others can be 
rapidly brought down by the same gunner with his undischarged barrels. But the occasion 
must be quickly seized, because the sympathizing birds which at first are bewitched, as it were, 
by the accident to their companion^ soon lose the charm, and, becoming more wary, enlarge 
their circles, and ascending higher and higher soon place themselves out of shot range." 
List of specimens. 
Catal. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by- 
Length. 
Stretch 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
8908 
64C6 
4161 
9541 
Cab.G. N.Lawrence 
Lieut. Bryan 
316 
9 
Laramie river, N. T 
July 23, 1857 
Capt. Pope 
Capt. Van Vliet.... 
53 
17 50 
19.00 
14.50 
15.00 
Mar. 27, 1853 
Oct. 22, 1857 
47.00 
