86 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



close to the birds before firing. The flight of the Dovekie is swift and direct, 

 generally close to the water and with the swaying motion of the other Alcidce. 

 The small black wings, altogether out of proportion to the plump body, move 

 with marvellous rapidity. I have noticed that they spread their little tails as 

 they dive. 



The dead bodies of these birds, intact or partly devoured, were commonly 

 found near the shore and even some distance inland during the invasion of 

 1877-78, and I have occasionally found them since. Some of the birds evidently 

 died of starvation, others were killed by Hawks. 



The Dovekie is at once distinguished from all other waterfowl by its small 

 size, short neck, and generally compact and plump form. It is indeed a charm- 

 ing little bird to meet several miles from land on the wintry sea, and its confiding 

 ways allow us to make its near acquaintance. 



[35] Megalestris skua (Brunn.). Skua; "Ska-hen." It is possible and probable that in 

 storms the Skua approaches so near the coast that it should be included in the list of Essex 

 County birds, but mv records at present will not allow it without stretching the boundary of the 

 County very much to seaward. I merely note here, however, from Capt. Collins :' "It is by 

 no means abundant on any of the fishing-grounds, but is, nevertheless, to be met with occa- 

 sionally all the wav from George's to the Grand Banks, at least." He notes also : "November 37, 

 1S7S. Latitude 42° 49' N., longitude 62° 55' W. Two skua gulls .... came near the vessel." 

 This must have been about 370 miles off the mouth of the Merrimac River. 



1 1 [36] Stercorarius pomarinus (Temm.). 

 PoMARiNE Jaeger. 



Not uncommon transient visitor ; spring; July 5 to September 28. 



A female of this species was taken on the Merrimac River ^ on July 5th, 

 1889. There are two in the Peabody Academy collection, one taken off East- 

 ern Point on September 28th, 1864, the other at Swampscott. 



As this Jaeger differs from the Parasitic only in being slightly larger, the 

 various phases of plumage being the same, it is difficult to distinguish them in life 

 unless they are together. 



' J. W. Collins: U. S. Comm. of Fish and Fisheries, Report for 1882, pp. 311-331, 1884. 

 2 [F. B. Webster, ed.] : Ornithologist and Oologist, vol. 14, p. 176, 1889. 



