BIRDS OF ESSEX COUNTY. 87 



12 [37] Stercorarius parasiticus (Linn.). 

 Parasitic Jaeger ; "Marling-spike " ; "Sea-hen." 



Common transient visitor ; — to June 25 ; July 4 to October 14. 



My July 4th record is of a specimen shot by J. A. Jeffries at Swampscott, 

 in 1873. 



This is the common Jaeger of the coast. They are often to be seen off 

 Cape Ann and not uncommonly off Ipswich Beach, engaged in their occupation 

 of chasing the Terns and Bonaparte's Gulls. Their flight is rapid and graceful, 

 and decidedly hawk-like. The victim twists and turns but all in vain, and at the 

 last minute drops the fish, which is at once seized by the Jaeger. Terns not in- 

 frequently chase the Jaegers in return, and the two twist about in a bewildering 

 way, each trying to rise above the other, the Tern screaming incessantly. I 

 once saw at Magnolia a Jaeger chase a Crow, frightening it half out of its wits. 

 At another time at Ipswich some Terns were being chased by immature Jaegers 

 who were in turn pursued by an adult Jaeger. Only once have I seen Jaegers 

 alight on the beach, and this was in a severe northeaster, on June 17th, 1903, 

 when I found ten on the beach at Ipswich. Six or seven of these appeared to 

 be full adults. 



The Jaegers are easily recognized by their hunter-habits. The resemblance 

 to a Hawk is increased if the bird be in the immature brown plumage. The 

 adults in light plumage, with their dark backs, white breasts, a more or less com- 

 plete ring about the throat, and long black central tail feathers, are objects of 

 great beauty. 



13 [38] Stercorarius longicaudus Vieill. 



Long-tailed Jaeger. 



Rare transient visitor. 



I have an immature, brown plumaged bird in my collection, kindly given 

 me in the flesh by Mr. H. A. Pitman, who shot it on August 24th, 1901, at 

 Eagle Hill, Ipswich. The bird was flying over his decoys in the salt marsh. 

 In this plumage the bird is difficult to distinguish from the immature Parasitic 

 Jaeger, except by the color of the primaries. Mr. William Brewster kindly iden- 

 tified my specimen. 



