LA RID,*;. 



677 



THE LONG-TAILED OR BUFFONS SKUA. 

 Stercorarius parasiticus (LinilcXHls). 



This circumpolar species — rather smaller and much more attenu- 

 ated than the preceding — is only an irregular migrant to the British 

 Islands ; and, though naturally more frequent in the north than in 

 the south, it has never occurred in any numbers in Scotland during 

 the cold season. On the east side of F^ngland, however, it is com- 

 paratively common, especially between the mouth of the Tees and 

 Flamborough Head, and many — some of them adults — were killed 

 during the great storms of October 1879 ; while, though rarer as we 

 proceed southward, it is also met with along the Cliannel. The west 

 appears to be seldom visited ; yet old birds have occurred there in 

 spring on several occasions, one being shot in Cornwall as late as 

 June 4th 1877, and another in Cumberland on June 3rd 1885. In 

 Ireland it has been noticed in autumn, and, sparingly, in spring. 



The Long-tailed Skua does not breed in the Faeroes or Iceland ; 

 but in Norway a few pairs inhabit the Dovrefjeld above the limit of 

 forest-growth, while Wolley, Wheelwright and others found consider- 

 able numbers nesting on the fells of Swedish Lapland to the north 

 of lat. 68°. It visits Spitsbergen, which, however, appears to be 

 less suited to its requirements than Novaya Zemlya, where Capt. 



