108 The Birds of Pembrokeshire. 
fulvous in plumage, has some golden hackles on the throat, is 
the largest of the Skua family, and may be at once known from 
all the other species through the absence in its tail of any 
elongated central feathers. The Skuas in some years continue 
in southern waters until the spring is well advanced. On May 
28, 1883, “hundreds of Skua Gulls” were noticed off the Tuskar 
Rock, opposite St. Bride’s Bay; more on 31st; while others 
were observed on June 7th, 8th, and even on June 22nd (Migra- 
tion Report, 1883). 
POMATORHINE SKUA, Séercorarius pomatorhinus.—This species 
comes next in size to the Great Skua, and possesses in its adult 
plumage two elongated central feathers in its tail which broaden 
towards their tips. Ut is by far the commonest of the family 
upon our coasts, and a few are to be seen every autumn, and 
after heavy gales large flocks are observed. Dr. Propert 
possesses one, an immature bird that we have seen at his house 
in St. David’s, that was shot on Ramsey Sound. Sir Hugh 
Owen has seen this Skua in Goodwick Bay, in all stages of 
plumage, and calls it “the most falcon-like of the Gull tribe.” 
RICHARDSON’S SKUA, Stercorarius crepidatus.—This is a smaller 
species, to be at once recognised in the adult, by the two long 
and jointed central tail feathers. It is more scarce on our 
south-western coasts than the Pomatorhine Skua, but a season 
rarely passes without one or two being noticed. Sir Hugh 
Owen has shot an immature bird at Goodwick. There are 
two well-marked varieties of this species, one with a white 
breast and underparts, the other black all over, and in the black 
birds the blackness differs in its intensity, in some being of a 
rusty colour, in others of a deep coal black. The two varieties 
freely interbreed, the result being birds of a mottled plumage. 
We have seen examples pied black and white, the patches of 
the two opposite colours being symmetrically placed, and giving 
to the birds a very peculiar appearance. 
