LAB US LEVCOPTERUS. 
48a 
Primaries and remainder of plumage, white. Bill, yellow, iris, white, and feet, pinkish. In winter , similar but streaked 
on head and neck with ashy-brown. Yount/. Similar to winter adult but streaked and spotted with ashy-brown. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Recognized by the large size and white primaries. Distributed, in summer, throughout the Arctic Regions, wander¬ 
ing as far south as Massachusetts in winter. Dimensions. Length, 30 - 00; stretch, 62-00; wing, 18'50, tail, 8'75; bill, 3'00, 
tarsus, 3‘00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on rocky cliffs, composed of sticks, sea-weeds, etc. Eggs, three or four in number, oval in form, vary¬ 
ing from bluish-white to dark brownish-yellow in color, spotted, blotched, and sprinkled with brown and lilac of varying 
shades. Dimensions from 2-18 x 2 - 95 to 2 - 25 x 3 00. 
HABITS. 
The large and handsome Glaucous Gull is extremely rare on our New England coast 
in winter, but is occasionally taken as far south as Massachusetts, both in the adult and 
immature plumages. I learned, however, when on the Magdalen Islands, that it is quite 
common there in winter. This bird has much the same habits as those of the larger Gulls. 
LARUS LEUCOPTERUS. 
White-winged GuH. 
Larus leucopierus Fab., Prodr. Isl. Qrn., 1820, 91, 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Size, medium. Form, robust. Color. Adult. Back and upper part of wings, pale pearly-blue, with prima¬ 
ries and remainder of plumage, white. Iris, white, bill, greenish-yellow, and feet, pinkish. Winter adult. Similar but 
with head and neck narrowly streaked with dusky. Young. Pale yellowish-brojm throughout, faintly mottled with 
darker, and with primaries dusky at tips. Bill, dusky. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the medium size and pale color. Distributed, in summer, throughout the Arctic Regions. Winters from 
Massachusetts, northward. Dimensions. Length,24-15; stretch, 52-00; wing, 16*75; tail; 6-55: bill, L96; tarsus, 2-55. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on rocky cliffs, composed of sticks, sea-weeds, etc. Eggs, from three to four in number, oval in form, 
deep brownish-yellow in color, spotted and blotched with rather round marks of brown and lilac of varying shades. Di¬ 
mensions from 1-85x2-70 to 2-00 x 2-76. 
HABITS. 
On the thirty-first day of January, 1880, an immature White-winged Gull was brought 
to me by the Bangs Brothers for identification. It was killed while flying over the Mill- 
dam, in Boston, near Charles River, and another was seen at the same time. This is the 
only specimen of this rare bird that I ever saw in the flesh, and consider it of very uncom¬ 
mon occurrence as far south as Massachusetts, as it breeds in the Arctic Regions. 
LARUS MARINUS. 
Great Black-backed Gull. 
Larus marinus Linn., Syst. Nat., I; 1766, 225. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Size, very large. Form, robust. Color. Adult. Back and wings, dark-slaty, becoming black on prima¬ 
ries, which with secondaries and tertiaries are broadly tipped with white. Remainder of plumage, white. Iris, yellowish- 
white, bill, yellow, with a vermilion spot near tip of under mandible, and feet, pinkish. Winter adult. Similar but with 
head and neck streaked with dusky. Young. Ashy-brown throughout, more or less mottled with white. 'Primaries and 
tail, dusky. Bill, black. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the large size and dark colors above, in adult, and rather pale colors in young. Distributed in summer from 
Bay of Fundy, northward. Winters from Maine to Florida 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 30-50; stretch, 65'00; wing, 19'20; tail, 8'48; bill, 
2-38: tarsus, 2 - 87. Longest specimen, 31-00; greatest extent of wing, 66'00; longest wing, 20‘25; tail, 9 05; bill, 2‘52; tarsus, 
g-05. Shortest specimen, 30‘00; smallest extent of wing, 64'00; shortest wing, 17 88; tail, 7 98; bill, 2-25; tarsus, 2'75. 
