NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 127 



C. skua, which is the true catarrhactes. But here he is anticipated by 

 Moehring, who had previously applied the name Cataractes* to a genus of 

 Guillemots, of which Uria troile is the type. This genus has been adopted 

 for the latter birds, by Cassin, Bryant, and others ; and, unless we admit the 

 different spellings of the same word as distinct genera, which would seem 

 quite unwarrantable, Briinnich's name must be superseded. 



Lestris of Illiger (1811) being based upon the parasitica, I am aware of no 

 other genera than the above, which were founded on the Larus catarrhactes 

 down to 1S56, when Bonaparte, in his Conspectus, proposed the name 

 Megalestris. The choice then lies between Moehring's Buphagus and Bona- 

 parte's Megalestris ; and of the two, I prefer to take the former, especially as 

 by so doing we shall be enabled to retain Stercorarius of Brisson for the other 

 species of the subfamily. 



Regarding the adoption of the specific name skua, I will merely remark that 

 as Briinnich was as strict a binomalist as Linnaeus himself, there is no reason 

 why his specific names should not be employed in all cases when they are 

 identifiable. The date of Briinnich's "skua" is 1764; that of Linnaeus' 

 " catarractes " is 1766. 



It is a little surprising that Brisson, after instituting the genus Stercorarius 

 for the Jiigers, should be so far at fault regarding the proper affinities of the 

 present species as to place it among the Gulls, under the name of Larus fuscus. 

 His descriptions of all the Jagers are remarkably accurate, and so full and 

 complete as to admit of the positive identification of all his names. In this 

 case, and in numberless other instances, there is cause for exceeding regret 

 that he was a polynomalist ; for, had he been a strict binomalist, so that we 

 could adopt his specific names, we should be saved a vast deal of uncertainty 

 and profitless discussion as to the proper specific appellations to be employed. 



The Larus keeask of Latham is certainly the present species. That author 

 gives 22 inches as the total length, and 3 inches as the length of the bill, 

 dimensions which will apply to no species of Stercorarius; and there is no 

 other Buphagus than the present inhabiting the northern hemisphere. His 

 bird "habitat in America ad sinum Hudsonis." 



The plate which Vieillot gives in his Galerie des Oiseaux, (1854) of his 

 Stercorarius pomarinus, represents undoubtedly the present species ; and is, so 

 far as I am aware, the only instance of the application of the name pomarinus 

 to any other species than that to which it rightfully belongs. This error seems 

 the more surprising, since Vieillot, in 1817 and in 1828 (vide synon.), gives 

 the species as Stercorarius catarrhactes. 



The other synonyms' of the species do not require special notice. I have 

 endeavored to preserve the various spellings of the word catarrhactes by the 

 different authors cited. I quote Catarractes fusca Leach, and vulgaris Fleming, 

 and Lestris skua Brehm, on the authority of Bonaparte. 



2. Buphagus antarcticus Coues ex Lesson. 



Lestris catarractes, Quoy et Gaimard, Voy. TJranie, Ois. p. 38. Nee auct. 

 Lestris antarcticus, Lesson, Traite d'Orn. 1831, p. 606. 

 Sterco7-arius antarcticus, Bonaparte, Consp. Av. 1856, p. 207. 



Diag. B. Buph. skua, similis ; sed rostro crassiore et breviore. 

 Habitat. Antarctic Ocean. 



* This word affords a good illustration of the very various oncography we often find in the 

 names of the old authors. Thus, we have cataracta, cataractes, catharacta, catarracta, catarracU s, 

 catarrhactes, &c. The orthography of the word will be evident if we regard its etymology. It is 

 from KiTst, and QH-yvvjui, whence x-'Ta/yaxTJic, "a robber or despoiler;" the latinization of 

 which is catarrhactes, the ftbeingderived fiom the rough aspirate over the second />. Jirunnictrs 

 spelling of the word might perhaps lead us to suppose it derived from Kiftiipce, "to cleanse or 

 purify ; : ' but this isevidently not the case, the latinization of the word formed from the latter 

 root giving us cathartes, Illigei 's genus of American vultures. 



1863.] 



