256 REV. H. N. BONAR ON 
24. STERCORARIUS CATARRHACTES (Linn.).—Great Skua. 
“One shot during the expedition of the German warship 
Olga (Captain von Uslar) in Recherche Bay. This example 
is now in the University Museum, Gottingen.” (Ornith. 
Monatsber., vii., 1899, p. 9.) 
*25, STERCORARIUS POMATORHINUS (‘Temm. ).— 
Pomatorhine Skua. 
Only one specimen has been recorded for the west coast 
of Spitsbergen, but many have been seen on the east coast 
and adjacent islands. In Olga Straits and Barents Islands 
it is comparatively common. I did not see this bird on 
Spitsbergen itself, but near Bear Island, where it breeds, it was 
seen frequently. On August 6, six of those skuas followed 
our steamer off and on from 9.30 a.m, till 4.30 p.m. They 
came pretty near, and gave me abundant opportunity for 
studying them through my binoculars. This skua’s twisted 
tail is very remarkable. No one who has ever seen it 
could possibly mistake this bird for any other. At certain 
angles the projecting tail feathers look so bunchy that it 
almost seems as if someone had tied a strip of paper on to 
the tail. 
*26. STERCORARIUS CREPIDATUS (J. F. Gmelin).— 
Arctic or Richardson’s Skua. 
Pretty common. ‘Three pairs at least frequented Advent 
Point while I was there. Saw this bird also at Vogelberg 
Point, at Hyperite Hat, at Sassen Bay, and at Dane’s Gat, 
while one pair were seen fully twelve miles inland in Sassen- 
dal. This bird is dainty and neat in all its actions. One 
almost forgives its robberies, they are so gracefully done. 
To see one chasing and robbing an Arctic Tern, a bird even 
more graceful than itself, is a sight well worth watching. 
In almost every case the skua managed to catch the food 
dropped by its victim, before it reached the sea. While 
coasting up Norway, all of the many specimens seen were 
of the regulation sooty brown, but in Spitsbergen this dark 
