698 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



as those previously observed ; while, during the succeeding 

 four days, I observed one while punting in the Tees, others 

 being seen and some killed by various gunners. Then came 

 the memorable " Skua " gale on the 14th of October, which 

 created an amount of interest and speculation amongst 

 ornithologists equalled only by the famous irruption of Pallas's 

 Sand-Grouse in 1888. About 11 a.m. on the day named 

 the wind suddenly flew round to the north, changing to 

 north-east, and blew with great violence, being accompanied 

 by torrents of rain. I had gone to the Teesmouth at the 

 outbreak of the storm, and soon after noon the first flight of 

 Pomatorhine Skuas appeared, coming from the eastward ; 

 more flights followed, their numbers increasing as the day 

 wore on, and scarcely had one party gone by before another 

 hove in sight ; they flew in flocks of from seven to ten in 

 number, skirting the shore, and on arriving at the Teesmouth 

 many of them alighted on the sands, apparently exhausted by 

 battling against the storm. They allowed a close approach 

 as they sat on the beach, only taking flight when an intruder 

 came within a few yards' distance ; possibly they were ignorant 

 of the effects of a gun, and had not had any experience of their 

 arch-enemy, man. Thus they continued to pass for several 

 hours, until by dark some thousands must have gone by ; 

 then the approach of night prevented further observations. 

 On the sand-hills, on both sides of Redcar, many gunners were 

 out, taking toll of the passing birds, but, as they afforded 

 little sport, the shooters abstained from firing at them after 

 obtaining a few specimens. The majority of the Skuas consti- 

 tuting these flocks were adults, their white breasts and long 

 twisted tail feathers rendering them very conspicuous, and 

 easily distinguishable from the immature dark-breasted 

 birds ; a considerable number of Buffon's and a few Richard- 

 son's Skuas accompanied them. In endeavouring to form an 

 approximate idea of their numbers, after careful consideration 

 and consultation with those of my acquaintance who were 

 witnesses of the great flight, it was calculated that a total 

 of between five and six thousand birds passed Redcar. 

 On the day following they continued to fly by during the 



