LAEUS HUT CHIN SII. 
HUTCHINS' GULL. 
LAEUS HUTOHINSII. Eigh. Fauna Bor. Avner., p. 419 . — Cassia. Proc. Acad. Nat. Scien. (1862), p. 325 . — Coues. 
Mon. Larid., Proc. Acad. Nat. Scien. (1862), p. 294. 
Hutchins’ Gull is introduced into the avi-fauna of the United States, through an example which was killed in midwinter in Wash- 
ington County, New York, while in the act of feeding upon a dead sheep. This specimen is the original of my plate, and was kiudly 
lent to me for the purpose of appearing in this work, by the Secretaries of the Smithsonian Institution, in whose care it was placed by 
its captor. 
The habitat of the species appears to be the North Pacific ocean, and Arctic America, as Mr. Stimpson, when attached to the 
Exploring Expedition under Capt. Eodgers, U. S. N., obtained some examples in Behring Straits. 
It is a rather singular instance that this bird should have waudered so far from its accustomed haunts as to reach the State of New 
York, particularly as it has never been obtained within our limits on the Pacific coast. 
Bichardson in a foot note on page 419 of the Fauna Boreali Americana, says, “Mr. Hutchins describes a pure white Gull, which 
breeds on the Albany Eiver, as larger than our Ivory Gull, being twenty seven inches and a half in length, five feet from tip to tip of 
the wings, and weighing two pounds. Its bill and legs are flesh-colored. It lays four white eggs, on the ground ; and the young, which 
are blackish, do not attain their full plumage until they are three years old. It feeds on fish. Although the Ivory Gull, in common 
with others of the genus, varies considerably in size, I have met with none which attain the magnitude of Mr. Hutchins’ bird, which if 
it proves on examination to be distinct deserves the name of Larus Uutoldnsii. 
In appearance this bird looks like a white L. Glaucus, although it may uot be quite so large as that species. 
Mr. Cassin, in his list of the Birds collected by the exploring expedition under Capt. John Eodgers, U. S. N., gives the following 
account of this bird as related by Mr. E. M. Kern, the naturalist attached to the command. “ Abundant on the shores of Semiavine 
Straits, and in the fresh water lagoons of Arikamscheche Island ou the Asiatic coast of Behring Straits, in August, 1855 ; not shy, and 
easily approached within gpu-shot. The native boys catch this bird with a sort of sling made of five or six strands of rope, to the 
ends of which small stones are attached. This sling is thrown at the bird usually when flying, and is frequently successful in entangling 
it so much that it cannot extricate itself before being captured. The skins of this and other birds are used by the Tchuchtchi people 
for clothing.” 
The adult has the entire plumage pure white, the shafts of the feathers yellowish. Bill flesh-color at base, blackish towards the tip. 
Feet flesh-color. 
The young is mottled on the upper parts with light reddish brown, becoming transverse bars on the rump. Under parts reddish 
brown, barred with white on the under tail-coverts. Wings and tail pure white. 
