440 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



plumage of the second year. It was chasing Terns when 

 first seen, and proved tame, allowing a near approach in 

 a boat as it sat on the water. The other bird appears to 

 have been also of this species." 



In 1869 Mr. J. Hunter, of Faversham, says : " A speci- 

 men of the Pomerine Skua in fine plumage was shot on 

 this coast on November 14, and is now in my collection. 

 The bird is an immature female and answers very closely 

 to Yarrell's description, excepting in the colour of the 

 bill, cere and legs, which latter, in my specimen, is a clear 

 chalk-blue, and the base of the bill and cere greenish- 

 white ; nearly the whole of the fore-toes and webs are 

 black, but the hind toe and claw are the same colour as 

 the legs." 



Mr. W. Prentis records " a pair of Pomerine Skuas, 

 which were shot by a bargeman when in the act of 

 killing a Common Gull beyond Piochester Bridge on 

 February 20, 1882, one a fine adult with yellow collar 

 and a long turned-up tail, the other immature in the 

 brown plumage ; and another was shot flying over 

 Chatham Hill in windy weather, November 27, 1890, 

 either in the second or third year's plumage." 



In 1898 Mr. G. Slaney presented to the Maidstone 

 Museum an immature bird. It was killed at Salt Pan, 

 near Sandwich, Kent, on October 18, 1898. 



