Franklin Gull: A New Record for California

Three specimens of the Franklin Gull (Larus franklini) have been taken by me at Hyperion, Los Angeles County, California, as follows: No. 1506 (Coll. of J. E. Law), sex not ascertained, November 22, 1913;, no. 2350, male, October 17, 1914; no. 2587, female, November 24, 1914. All three are in Similar plumage, and are apparently immature, corresponding closely in appearance to a specimen (labelled “juv.“) from Clay County, Texas, taken October 1, 1879 (Coll. U. S. National Museum, no. 80007). The latter is in much fresher plumage than either of mine, and my October specimen, though somewhat worn, is again in notably fresher plumage than either of the two November birds.

In two of my specimens (nos. 1500 and 2350) the forehead is largely white, sparsely flecked with dusky; in the third (no. 2587) the whole top of head is dusky, with a little white on the forehead. In all three there is a quite solid dusky area covering cheeks and back of head. A small dusky crescent around front of eye is conspicuous in all. In the November birds the wing coverts are faded and worn, giving a rusty appearance. In number 1500 (taken November 22) the narrow white tips of the primaries are worn almost away, as is much of the edging of the scapulars. The white tips of the rectrices (in new feathers about 5 mm. broad) are also nearly gone.

All three of my birds have the broad black, or dark brown, subterminal band across the tail, covering all but the outer rectrices, the one marking which, in this species as in L. philadelphia, is apparently the most obvious means of distinguishing immatures from winter adults. All have the slaty mantle, different from the brownish wing-coverts, and all have the entire under-parts white, though with slaty flecks on sides of upper breast. One of my birds, and also the National Museum immature at hand, shows a slight pinkish tinge on throat and upper breast. In all three of my specimens bill, tarsi and feet are black, showing no trace of the reddish color ascribed to these parts in the several books I have consulted.

Mr. H. S. Swarth, after-pronouncing my birds to be Larus franklini, procured for my use, through the courtesy of Dr. C. W Richmond, the loan of two specimens of this species, for comparison, from the collection of the United States National Museum. One of these, a fall immature, is mentioned above. The other (Coll. U. S. Nat. Mus. no. 4320) is an adult, beginning to molt into summer plumage. The privilege of examining these specimens was of inestimable value in ascertaining the status of my birds, as there apparently is no material of this sort in Pacific Coast collections, and I wish here to record my appreciation of the courtesy.

The three birds I have collected were taken from large flocks of Bonaparte Gulls (Larus Philadelphia). They resemble the latter in size and general appearance, but can readily be distinguished in life by their dusky “collar” and dark-colored primaries.

The winter home of the Franklin Gull, as given by the A. 0. U. Check-List, includes the west coast of South America; and in the British Museum Catalogue of Birds (vol. 26, 1896, p. 194) there are specimens listed from the west coast of Mexico. Apparently, however, the present record constitutes the first for the Pacific Coast of North America, certainly the first for California. The dates of capture indicate the probability of the species remaining here throughout the winter. Can it be that this bird is a regular visitor to our southern coast, though in limited numbers, and has it simply been overlooked heretofore?

J. E. Law

Hollywood, California