214 
Brewster o?i an apparently New Gull. 
[October 
ON AN APPARENTLY NEW GULL PROM 
EASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 
BY WILLIAM BREWSTER. 
■ I ■ 
In a recent issue of this Bulletin* I recorded a supposed speci- 
men of Larus glaucescens , from the Bay of Fundy, and Mr. 
Merrill, on the same page, announced another captured near 
Grand Menan. At that time neither bird had been compared 
with typical specimens of glaucescens , but both agreed so well 
with descriptions, especially in the peculiar “washed out” 
appearence of the primaries (a character said to be diagnostic 
of glaucescens') that there seemed to be no reason for doubting 
that they really belonged to that species. Moreover, there was 
nothing at all improbable in the occurrence of glaucescens on the 
coast of New England, for Kumlien had reported it as breeding 
at Cumberland Sound, f whence it would be likely to follow the 
Atlantic Coast in its migrations southward. At least so I rea- 
soned at the time, but, as will presently appear, there was more 
than one hidden flaw in the evidence upon which my conclusions 
were based. 
Shortly after the publication of the notes above mentioned, 
Mr. Merrill was kind enough to send me his specimen for exam- 
ination, and at about the same time another, of which I had not 
previously known, was received from Mr. Everett Smith. Find- 
ing that both were similar to Mr. Welch’s bird (the Bay of Fundy 
specimen) , and that all three had certain peculiarities not ascribed 
to glaucescens , I determined to investigate the matter further and 
to this end applied to the National Museum for the loan of an 
adequate series. Through Professor Baird’s and Mr. Ridgway’s 
kindness this series was promptly forwarded, and is now before 
me. It includes several typical glaucescens , both adult and im- 
mature ; one of Kumlien’s supposed glaucescens from Cumber- 
land Sound (the only one brought back by him, or at least in the 
National Collection, I understand) ; and some examples of L. 
leucopterus. In addition to these specimens I have been able to 
* Vol. VIII, No. 2, April, 1883, p. 125. 
t Contrib. to Nat. Hist. Arc. Am., pp. 98, 99. 
