FAMILY STERCORARIIDAE 435 



Migrant from the far south. Recorded in the western area of the 

 Gulf of Panama. 



My first observation of skuas was on February 7, 1944, in crossing 

 to Isla San Jose when I saw two in the Bay of Panama about 5 to 6 

 kilometers outside Balboa Harbor, and another in the gulf 25 kilo- 

 meters or so off the island. One turned to pursue a laughing gull, 

 buffeted it about without making it disgorge, and then flew on its 

 way. On February 6, 1956, on the return journey from Isla Coiba, I 

 saw between 15 and 20 at sea offshore between Punta Mala and a 

 point to the northward where Otoque and Bona were barely in sight. 

 All were flying low among the terns and other sea birds. On March 

 17, 1962, a few kilometers north of Isla Iguana, a skua appeared and 

 finally swung in toward the launch on which I was traveling. I shot 

 it at long range, but it continued so far before falling that we were 

 not able to find it, since the waves were fairly high. On February 9, 

 1963, I saw another that came along side the MV Pelican between 

 Isla Iguana and Isla Bona. 



It is probable that these were the race Catharacta skua chilensis 

 (Bonaparte), described in Conspectus Generum Avium, vol. 2, Feb. 

 1, 1856 (Oct. 1, 1857), p. 207, with the type locality Chile, which nests 

 from Arauco Bay, Chile, south along the coast to Tierra del Fuego, 

 and ranges north along the Pacific coast regularly to Peru, and 

 casually to southern California. I was interested, however, in 1956 

 to have a brief distant view of one that was definitely lighter in color, 

 which suggested that another of the several races may be found also. 

 No specimens have been collected. 



STERCORARIUS POMARINUS (Temminck) : Pomarine Jaeger; 

 Salteador Pomarino 



Lestris pomarinus Temminck, Man. Orn., 1815, p. 514. (Arctic regions of 

 Europe.) 



Largest of the 3 jaegers; adult with elongated central tail feathers 

 twisted toward the tip. 



Description. — Length, 460 to 495 mm. Bill higher than wide at 

 base. Light-colored phase, crown, lores, malar region, and upper 

 surface (except hindneck) sooty gray; hindneck and lower surface 

 white, except for lower abdomen and under tail coverts which are 

 like the back. 



Dark phase, dark sooty gray throughout. 



Many are in an intermediate stage in which the lower surface in 

 general is white with foreneck, upper breast, sides, flanks, lower 



