RING-BILLED GULL. 
485 
domiciles in the last named situation, is due to the constant persecution to which the birds 
are subjected. Another peculiarity which is observable in the history of these Gulls, is that 
they are retreating from the coast to breed in the interior, where they are not as liable to 
be molested. Some of these Gulls, mostly immature birds, linger about the northern coast 
of Massachusetts all summer. 
LARUS DELAW ARENSIS. 
Ring-billed. Gull. 
. Larus Delawarensis Ord., Guth. Geog., II; 1815, 319. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, medium. Color. Adult. Back and entire wings, very light pearly-blue. Primaries, 
very broadly tipped with black, first quill broadly banded, second spotted and others, with secondaries and tertiaries, tipped 
with white. Remainder of plumage, also white. Bill, greenish, crossed near tip with a band of dark-brown, iris, yellow, 
and feet, greenish. In winter. Similar, but With head and neck spotted with dusky. Young, ashy-brown throughout, 
darkest above, mottled with lighter. Primaries, black. Tail, white with subterminal band of black. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Easily recognized by the ring around bill. Distributed, in summer, from Labrador and the Great Lakes, northward. 
Winters from Chesapeake Bay, southward. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 19-50; stretch, 49‘00; wing, 14 53; tail, 5'50; bill, 
L62; tarsus, 2’12. Longest specimen, 20*00; greatest extent of wing, 50-29; longest wing, 15*12; tail, 6"00; bill, U75; tar¬ 
sus, 2 25. Shortest specimen, 19'00; smallest extent of wing, 48 - 00; shortest wing, 14-00; tail, 5 - 00; bill, 1'50; tarsus, 2-00. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground or on cliffs, composed of sticks, etc. Eggs, three or four in number, oval in form, vary¬ 
ing from bluish-white to dark-brown in color, spotted and blotched with brown and lilac of varying shades. Dimensions 
from 1-60x2-75 to l - 75x2 - 80. 
HABITS. 
I found the Ring-billed Gulls more abundant in the Gulf of Mexico, during winter, 
than I ever saw them elsewhere, but they occur on the east coast of Florida at this season, 
and also further north in autumn, though they are never very common in Massachusetts. 
These Gulls which resemble the Laughing Gull in general habits, breed along the borders 
of the Great Lakes, in Labrador, and northward. 
LARUS ATRICILLA. 
Laughing GuH. 
Larus atricilla Linn., Syst. Nat., I, 1766, 225. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Sp. Cn. Form, robust. Size, medium. Color. Adult. Back and wings, slaty-blue, becoming black toward termi¬ 
nal portion of primaries, which with secondaries are tipped with white. Remainder of plumage, white, strongly tinged 
with rosy beneath. Iris and feet, brown, bill, dark purplish-lake. In winter, and Young. Similar, but lacks the dark 
head which is replaced by white mottled with ashy. 
OBSERVATIONS. 
Known by the dark head, rosy tint, and slaty-blue color above. Distributed, in summer, from Maine, southward, win¬ 
ters in Florida. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Average measurements of specimens. Length, 16-25; stretch, 4U50; wing, 12-50; tail, 5 45; bill, U62; tarsus, U88. 
Longest specimen, 17-00; greatest extent of wing, 42-50; longest wing, 13‘00; tail, 5‘90; bill, 175; tarsus, 2 00. Shortest 
specimen, 15’50; smallest extent of wing, 40"50; shortest wing, 12"00; tail, 5-00; bill, 1"52; tarsus, 1‘75. 
DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 
Nests, placed on the ground in sandy places, composed of grass, weeds, etc. Eggs, three or four in number, oval in 
form, varying from bluish-white to ashy-green in color, spotted and blotched with brown, umber, and lilac of varying 
shades. Dimensions from 1-52x2-00 to 1-65x2-30. 
HABITS. 
The notes of Gulls are loud and startling, but those of the Laughing are the most sin¬ 
gular of them all, for their cries, especially when the birds are excited, sound like loud 
