GULLS AND TERNS 25 
Distribution. — Pacific coast of North America from British Columbia 
to Panama. 
Heermann gulls are generally common winter visitors in southern 
California. At Monterey Mr. Loomis has taken careful notes of 
their migratory movements. In May they were rare, in June adults 
were still scarce, but the latter half of the month immature birds 
were common. By the middle of July adults were abundant, and 
before August there was a great inroad of the dark-plumaged birds. 
Toward the end of August the western and Heermann gulls appeared 
to be of about equal abundance, and in November their flights 
rivaled or exceeded those of the western gull. 
Mr. Grinnell says that on the coast near Los Angeles where the 
fishermen draw their seines along the beaches, clouds of gulls are 
usually attracted, about half of the flocks being Heermann and a 
quarter western gulls. 
68. Larus atricilla Linn. Laughing Gull. 1 
Adults in summer. — Head slaty black, mantle bluish gray; rest of plum¬ 
age, except quills, white ; three outer quills black, the fourth and fifth 
black towards ends, all but first usually with very small white spot at tip ; 
bill and feet dark red. Adults in winter : head mainly white with dusky 
around eyes and on back of head. Young: upper parts mottled grayish 
brown ; breast smoky gray ; upper tail coverts white, base of tail gray, 
outer third black, narrowly tipped with whitish; wing quills black. 
Length: 15-17, wing 13, bill 1.75, tarsus 2. 
Remarks. — The young of the laughing gull may be distinguished from 
Franklin and Bonaparte by its large size, longer bill, and wider black tail 
band. 
Distribution. — Atlantic and Gulf coast of United States and Pacific 
coast of Mexico; south in winter to the Amazon. Recorded from Col¬ 
orado. 
Nest. — In trees, four to twenty feet from the ground, generally made 
of small sticks, lined with hay and moss. 
59. Larus franklinii Sw. Rich. Franklin Gull. 
Adults in summer. — Bill 
bright red, with darker sub¬ 
terminal band ; head plum¬ 
beous black; eyelids white ; 
mantle dark slaty; quills 
gray, tipped with white, the 
five outer with subterminal 
black spaces; under parts 
white, deeply tinted with rose 
pink. Adults in winter: head 
mainly white, with sides and 
back grayish dusky. Young : 
top and sides of head and 
back grayish brown ; quills 
dusky, tipped with white; tail 
1 All the black-headed gulls are flushed with pink in spring. 
