P O M A T O R H I N E SKUA.
STERIVR.UtllB POMATOEHINUS.
IT is staled liy certain authorities that this species has been discovered nesting within tlie limits cif ihe
Hritish Islands. Up to the present time this fact has entirely escaped my notice, and I am only enabled by
personal experience to speak of the I'omatorhiue Skua as a wanderer along our coasts during autumn and
early winter while returning from its summer-quartan in the far north. What course these Skuas follow
when working north towards their breeding-stations I have been unable to learn; though constantly at
sea for many years during spring and summer olT the southern, eastern, and northern coasts, I failed to
recognize the species between January and August.
Immense numbers of both old and young annually pass over the North Sea while on their return journey
from their summer-haunts. The fir-l-comers may usually he noticed olf the south-east coast of Scotland about
the middle of August. The earliest arrivals are for the most part, if not entirely, composed of birds exhibiting
o state of plumage which 1 should judge (from the changes of those kept in confinement) to be that pr ding
the assumption of the perfect adult dress. These for the most part are without the long tail-feathers, though
it is evident, in some instances at least, that these appendages have been broken and lost. The lew stragglers
in perfect plumage that have by this time reached so far south are seldom seen in the vicinity of the shore,
keeping for the most port ten, fifteen, or twenty miles off the laud; small parties of adults, bosrerer, are
occasionally observed in the Firth of Forth flying high in the air, making a straight course either due east or
west. Uaving passed altogether three or four autumns on the coast of Kast Lothian, and spent the greater
portion of my time at sea, I have had ample opportunities of noting the arrival of these Skuas and watching
their progress towards the south. In this quarter I did not recognize a single specimen of the dark form of the
adult in perfect plumage, all that c.ime under my notice being white-breasted or clouded. The adults of this
species are easily distinguished on wing from t he Arctic Skua when at any height in the air : in these Skuas
the white feathers on the underparts of the belly meet the darker shade towards the vent and tail in an almost
straight line, and form a conspicuous mark when viewed from liolow, while in flic Arctic the light and dark
colours appear to blond gradually together. The flight of the Fomatorhine is also more steady, anil while on
passage the birds usually keep at a greater elevation.
A few words extracted here and there from my notes, jotted down while at Canty Hay early in the autuuiu
of 1874, will give some idea of I he numbers of these Skuas observed in the Firth at that seasou :—
August 1ST I, Though constantly at sea during the early part of the month, no Pomatorhines Here ¡dentiti.il
till Ihe I lib (wind north-east and a heavy swell in the Firth), when a small party was noticed dying out to tea
hahVa] between the Pass and the May. Ou the l'Jth, weather hue with a light westerly breeze, SCHUMI -MI ill
parlies of adult Pomatorhines were again seen making their waj uut to sea ; these were all observed about the
middle of 1 he firth, l'otuat or bines were in numbers between the Hass ami the mainland on the 21st, a few
ngniu on the 2-Jml and 2Jth, and on the 2(1111 half a dozen were noticed flying together in a straight line (their