846 
U. S. P. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS-ZOOLOGY—GENERAL REPORT, 
LARUS CALIFORNICUS, Lawrence. 
Tlie California Gull. 
Larus californicus, Lawr. Ann. Lyc. N. H. N. Y. VI, 1854, 79. 
Laroides californicus, Bon. Cons. Ay. II, 1856, 220. 
Sp. Ch.— Adult. The head, neck, under plumage, rump, and tail, pure white ; back and wings pearl blue, darker than in 
L. argentatus, but not so dark as in L. occidentalis; the six outer primaries are marked with black towards their ends, extending 
on the first for about two-thirds its length, and becoming less on the others, until on the sixth it consists only of a sub-termina^ 
bar ; the tips of all are white, on the ex erior quill the white extends about two inches, and is crossed near the end by a black 
bar; the secondaries and tertiaries terminate with white; i:is hazel; bill yellow; basal part of the upper mandible greenish 
gray for two-thirds its length; a blackish band crosses both mandibles near their ends, it is darker in color on the lower mandible, 
where it is bordered with orange; tarsus and feet flesh color. 
Length, 22| inches; wing, 16|; tail, 7; bill, 2; depth at angle, 10-16 ; tarsus, 2§ ; middle toe and nail, 2|. 
There are three specimens of this gull in the collection ; one, of which the above are the 
measurements, differs only from my original specimen in the three outer primaries not having 
white tips, the first having a white spot near the end, and the tail being marked with an 
interrupted sub-terminal black band, an evidence that it is not fully adult. 
The two other specimens are smaller, (probably females ;) they appear to be in mature 
plumage, and have the end of the first primary white for an extent of two inches ; there is a 
white spot on the second primary about one inch inside of the white tip, in other respects like 
my specimen. 
They measure in length 20 inches ; wing, 15f ; tail, 6 ; bill, If ; depth at angle, ; tarsus, 
2|-; middle toe and nail, 2^. 
Hob .—West coast of North America. 
Among various specimens of gulls sent me by Professor Baird from his private cabinet for 
examination, I find two examples of the above species ; these were brought by Dr. Townsend 
from the Pacific, and were labelled by him L. argentatus. 
List of specimens. 
Oatal. 
No. 
Locality. 
When col¬ 
lected. 
Whence obtained. 
Orig. 
No. 
Collected by— 
Length. 
Stretch 
of wings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
985 
4508 
4509 
6456 
2771 
2772 
Dr. Newberry.. 
Dr. Cooper .... 
....do. 
20.00 
15.25 
Feb. 9, 1855 
20.00 
49.00 
15.25 
Eyes dark brown; bill grayish. 
Iris hazel; bill pale gray; 
feet flesh color. 
Oct. 5, 1854 
Oct. 22, 1836 
Oct. 6, 1836 
102 
22.50 
55.00 
16.00 
S. F. Baird. 
rin... 
LARUS DELAWARENSIS, Ord. 
The Ring-billed Gull. 
Larus delawarensis, Ord, Guth. Geog. 2nd Am. Ed. II, 1815, 319. 
Larus canus, Bon. Syn. 1828, No. 296 — Rich. & Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 420. 
Larus brachyrhynchus, Rich. & Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 422, (not of Gould.) 
Larus zonorhynchus, Rich. & Sw. F. B. Am. II, 1831, 422 — Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 300 .—Aud. Birds Am. VII, 
1844, 152 ; pi. ccccxlvi.— Bon. Cons. Av. II, 1856, 224. 
Gavina zonorhynchus, Bruch, Cab. Jour. 1855, 282. 
