The San Francisco call., 1907-03-31


nest in trees and II believed to carry
it's young from the nest 70 the ground
on Its back.
The California Gull
gull which every one has seen.
but few can distinguish, is the Cali
fornia. a constant visitor to the bay.
particularly in the winter months. It's
size is less by one and half inches
than the glsucus and it may be recog-
nized by It's plumage. In summer the
head. neck and under parts are white:
mantle dark slate gray; yellow btll.
marked with red spot touching or
encircling a black spot near end OF
lower mandibis; iris bright brown, feet
light green. In winter the head mack
and lower parts are vhitewashsd with
brownish gray; upper parts notified
gray. quills and tail feathers rusty
black. The California gull abounds
IN the West from Alaska to Mexico. and
its breeding range Is the inland lakes
OF Oregon, Washington, British Colurn-
bia and Utah. The season for breed
ing begins the middle OF May and lasts
three months. It is abundant in Mon
tsrey Bay and in Southern California
and is on friendly terms with the glau
eeus-winged and the western gulls.
Hundreds have been observed following
after the plowman-
The ring-billsd gull 10 one OF the
smaller variety and may be distin-
suished by It's yellowish green feet and
handed bill. Though most abundant on
he Atlantic Coast, il is common to
sveFy part OF the United States It's
labits resemble the herring gull and
it enjoys the larvae OF marsh insects.
which &C catches upon the wing. IL
sTequents the inland marshes and a.
consideFed very moral bird for guli.
inasmueh as Il never robs other birds
Of it's food eggs or young. In winter
the Fing-billsd gull migrates to south
sFn waters, but IL calls the entire
North American continent its homs.
It's breeding range embraces the north
ern lakes from Puget Sound to Maine
and its breeding season is from May
TO August. It feeds upon small hsh and
the insects II can pick up on marshes.
The Hermann gull il still smaller
variety and II distin guishee from all
other species by its dark plumags- In
winter the head is almost black. It is
q xull confined to the west coast OF
the United States and its geographical
distribution extends from Puget Sound
10 Panama. The islands along the
coast, excepting the FaFallones. com
prise It's breeding range and its period
OF migrstio extends from the latter
part of May until about August While
we'll knewn To san Francisco Bay. its
faVorit4 resorts are the bays of South
e-n California. where Il is very nuner-
Gus. The Hermann affords irnmense
amusement in its common habit Of rob
bins the SLOW. stately and digniheG
pelican. The pelican. with a pcuchfni
&c dsh. arises from the water and starts
'or horne. a fock Of guils surround
him and. bs peciSs. 80 tantalize him
that the great bird disGorses ard fees
from lis prosecutors in disgust The
gulls set the fSh.
The Distinguishing feature Of the
E0naparte gull Is its slate gray hood in
summer all the others having Iight
ecloTed or white heads. IL is snasu
bird ard but 80 inches in length. It's
primaries have broad black. transverse
spots forming 2 bar; feet and legs or
snge: hlacS bill The breeding range
of the RoaGpa~te Includes all that part
cf che continent lyins aoOv. the United
states border and its season lasts from
June until August Its geogra Dhical
distribution includes the whole Of
North America
The Elaucous gull Is a rare viSitsnt
% neighboriug water@ and is fully
equal IN size to the glauCous-winged.
1t sbounds in the Arctic regions of
North America. but IN winter is found
on the Atlantic Coast as far south -
North Carolina. 1t is described with
primaries white or light gray shading
and top OF wings light pearl gray; rest
OF piunage white. In winter. adults.
head and neck streaked with grayish.
The new gull was supposed to be
confined to Northern Europe and
Asia. but It IS comparatively well
known on the California coast. Its
length is about seventeen inches and
in appearance il is very similar to the
short-billed gun.
The short-billed gull Is also well
known on the western coast, though
not common. Its length ranges from
1850 to rs inches, and it breeds in
the extreme north. In winter IL ap-
pears in California. preferably in the
south. Point Pinos seems to be its
favorite locality, and 1t there abounds
in considerable numbers
The Forked- Tail Sabine
The Sabine gull is distinguished ny
= tail conspicuousiy forked and
rounded feathers. IL is an arctic and
subaretic bird. snd in summer is
found far south OF the equator The
genus is rare, but specimens have
been observed in San Francisco Bay
and other widely separated localities.
1t ranks among the smaller gulis. and
in length varies from Is to "A inches
It's plumage in summer: Head and
upper neck dark bordered below bv
a black collar; orter duiliS black. with
inner web and tips white; mantle.
slate gray; tail and middle wing white
In winter the plumage on head and
neck turns 10 white with dusky on ear,
on coverts and back OF head.
Only the closest student OF bird life.
the trained ornithologist. can rightly
appreciate the amazingly prolific char
acter OF the feathered visitants Of tho
shores. bayous and marshes OF the bay
OF San Francisco. Though persistent
hunting has depleted the focks OF wild
fowl which were once 30 numerous, the
immense variety OF species has in no
way diminished. Nowadays every spe-
cies that ever visited this inland sea
may be distinguished By the patiens
observer. perhaps but a single repre-
sentative. proof that while the race
may have deserted the locality tho
species has not become extinct.
The expedition dispatched by the
California Academy OF Sciences to the
Galapagos Islands. lately returned.
brought with AZ the most varied. as a.
l. thA v,osf avfensiVe eolfecffou ~