ARCTIC SKUA. 353 



2. Black legs and feet. 



3. A more or less vivid yellow colouring on the 

 neck. 



Of these three Mr. Stevenson considers the first to 

 be the surest guide. The length of the middle tail- 

 feathers, where perfect, is also a reliable proof of ma- 

 turity ; they project from two inches to three and a 

 half. 



I have little more to add with regard to this species, 

 except that in 1880 a few examples were brought into 

 Yarmouth, one as early as the 16th September; and in 

 the following year (1881) a few others were obtained, 

 since which date I have no other record of its occur- 

 rence till December 4th, 1889, when, as I learn from Mr. 

 Patterson, an immature example, doubtless wounded, 

 was found alive on the beach at Yarmouth. 



STERCORARIUS CREPIDATUS (Gmelin). 

 ARCTIC SKUA.* 



Every autumn brings some birds of this species upon 

 our coast, and occasionally they are by no means un- 

 common in the immature state ; adults are, however, at 

 all times rare. 



In Whitear's " Calendar," as printed in the " Trans, 

 of the Norfolk and Norwich Nat. Society " (iii., p. 250), 

 under date of 26th September, 1819, occurs the follow- 

 ing entry : — " I am informed by Mr. Sabine that he 

 procured a young arctic gull on a warren, near Brandon 

 [Suffolk], the beginning of this month. About the same 



- This species was known to Pennant, Montagu, Fleming, 

 Selby, and others as the arctic gull, and it seems desirable to 

 retain that epithet. As pointed out by Mr. Howard Saunders 

 (Yarrell, "British Birds," ed. 4, iii., p. 674, note), "the trivial 

 name, Eichardson's skua is certainly distinctive," but it must be 

 borne in mind that " it was originally applied solely to the dark 

 form " of this species, which was at the time thought to be distinct 

 from the arctic skua. Cf. " Fauna Boreali-Americana " (Birds, 

 p. 433, pi. 73). 



2 w 



