260 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 
Skuas breed in the cold regions of both hemispheres, at 
other times they range far into the tropics. Several species 
oceasionally visit Indian seas, but apparently only one large 
form, of which the classification is a little open to doubt, has 
been obtained in Ceylon. 
STERCORARIUS ANTARCTICUS (Blanford, Vol. IV., p. 330, 
footnote ; Legge, p. 1050, footnote). 
The Antarctic Skua. 
Description.—Upper parts dark brown, darkest on the 
crown ; the under surface slightly paler ; the neck and mantle 
feathers have paler shaft-stripes ; the primaries are white at 
the base and black towards the tips. 
Immature birds are paler brown throughout, with light 
shafts to the neck feathers and grayish edges to the feathers 
of the under surface. 
Bill black ; iris brown ; legs and feet black. 
Length 24 ; wing 16°5; tail 6°5. 
Distribution.—A fine immature specimen with its wing 
clipped was brought alive to Capt. Legge by a native, who 
said it had been caught near Chilaw. As it seemed very 
tame, he was doubtful of the authenticity of the record, 
Since then, however, two more immature large dark Skuas 
have been shot in Ceylon. One was found in an exhausted 
state after a storm at Trincomalee; the other was killed 
while swimming in the sea at Negombo. Both these later 
specimens have been referred tentatively to the present 
species. The usual range of this Skua is from the Antarctic 
Ocean to the Cape of Good Hope and Australia. 
