LAIU— STERCOKARHm: 307 



winter, crown is while tipped, neck whitisli, bill yreenish grey 

 towards tip. 



An African species, which has occurred in Eyypt between 

 December and July, as far north as Nile Delta, and is reported 

 to have bred there. 



STERCORARIIDJE. 



Dill with a cere ; sternum with only one notch on each 

 side ; claws strong and sharp. 



Stercorarius. 



Gull-like, but bill more hooked than in " Larus " ; claws 

 strong and curved ; middle tail feathers longest ; summer and 

 winter plumages alike ; more predatory in habits ; nest of sea- 

 weed or grass in depression in moss ; eggs usually 2, pale oliv- 

 aceous or olive brown, blotched and spotted with dark brown. 



Stercorarius skua skua (Briinnich). Great Skua. 



(^ 9 Above dark brown with rufous streaks ; beneath 

 reddish brown ; tail central feathers slightly longer than others ; 

 primaries white towards base, most marked on 2nd to 5th, and 

 Tiere forming a white patch on wing, best seen when wing 

 extended. Bill black. Legs and feet black. Wing 393-420 (H.). 

 Tarsus 64-71. Bill 44-53. Young: above uniform dark brown, 

 upper wing coverts with white tips ; beneath dark brown, lighter 

 in middle of abdomen. 



/>VtWj.— Iceland, Faroes, Shetland, Orkneys (at least recently) ; 

 possibly also in Hudson Bay. Migratory ; occurs in winter on 

 Atlantic Coasts south to Gibraltar and occasionally Madeira and 

 W. Mediterranean ; seen chiefly at sea ; on American side, occurs 

 south to New Brunswick and New England States. 



Stercorarius pomarinus (Temminck). Pomatorhine 

 Skua. Siocd. Brcdstjcrstad Labb. 



^ "^ Above chocolate brown ; crown and face black, ex- 

 tending to below gape ; nape and sides of neck straw yellow ; 

 beneath white, lower abdomen, under wing and under tail coverts 

 brown ; central tail feathers broad and twisted, 70-88 m.m. longer 

 than others, and tips rounded. Bill greyish black, bluish at base 



