1907- Notes. 163 



Pomatorhine Skuas, Great Shearwaters, Fulmars, and Scoters off 



the West Coast. 



Mr. George P. Farraii, of the Fisheries Branch, Department of Agri- 

 culture, writes as follows : — 



"22nd December, 1906. 



" I am sending you a few notes on the birds seen by Mr. Kemp and 

 myself when out on the SS. Helga last October-November. 



"October 16. — Pomatorhine Skua flying round the ship whilst 

 trawling 20 miles off Drogheda. 



" October 17. — Several small flocks of Common Scoters seen off 

 Drogheda Bar, 1 to 2 miles out. 



" November 1. — At 70 miles S.W. of Fastnet Rock, Co. Cork, a few 

 Kittiwakes were seen, but no Shearwaters ; 15 miles to the westward 

 Kittiwakes were more numerous, and a few Great Shearwaters were 

 seen ; and 15 miles to the north (= 75m. W. S.W. (mag.) of Fastnet), 

 many Great Shearwaters and a few Fulmars were noticed, and a Rook 

 came on board, a fairb' young bird with feathered cere. 



"The wind was about N.W., moderate, during the day. The previous 

 day (October 31st) it had been N.K. to N., light to moderate, but on 

 October 30th there was a strong N, gale, which may have blown the 

 bird off. 



" November 6. — 30 miles off Tearaght, Co. Kerry, several Great Shear- 

 waters and Kittiwakes, and a few Fulmars were, flying round the ship, 

 and at 40 miles off the same birds were seen together, with a few Lesser 

 Black-backed Gulls, three Gannets, and four Pomatorhine Skuas, one of 

 which was completely black. It was in company with the others, and 

 agreed with them in size and shape, but had a short tail. 



'' November 11. — About 7 miles off Blackwater Lightship a Chaffinch 

 came on board late in the evening, and while steaming for Kingstown 

 during the night the calls of birds, which I did not recognise, could be 

 heard, as if accompanying the ship, and next morning a dead Fieldfare 

 was found on board. 



" The Great Shearwaters are usually in compaivy with Fulmars, with 

 which they agree in size ; the Manx Shearwaters, which are seen close 

 inshore, being noticeably smaller, and, it appears to me, differing some- 

 what in flight, moving their wings more rapidly. 



"The Great Shearwaters differ from the Pomatorhine Skuas (i.e t the 

 immature birds without the elongate tail-feathers and black gorget) in 

 their shape and flight. They never hover, as the Skuas attempt to do, 

 but spend their time close to the water, gliding or rapidly moving their 

 wings and continually altering their course. Their colour agrees with 

 that of the Pomatorhine Skuas in being dark above and light below, but 

 the light sides of the neck give them the appearance of having an im- 

 perfect white collar.'' 



Commenting on the above, Mr. Howard Saunders writes : — 



" I am interested in Mr. Farran's letters, and have not the slightest 

 doubt that the writer saw Puffimts major. Here is a copy of my note 



