116 
POMERINE SKUA. 
Greater and lesser wing coverts, dark purple brown; the 
primaries, dusky, have the shafts white. The tail, of twelve 
feathers, is dark purple brown, the shafts of the feathers 
white, except the extreme ends. The two middle feathers 
are three inches longer than the others, but of an equal 
breadth throughout; the tips rounded; under tail coverts, 
white, dashed with greyish brown. Legs, bluish black; the 
toes, black, the hind toe very short, and with a strong nail. 
The young of the first year have the bill bluish, the upper 
mandible rounded, and bent down at the point, which is 
black; a groove runs along the cere to the base of the bill, 
and there is also a groove from the base of the lower man¬ 
dible for half its length; iris, hazel. Crown, neck on the 
back, and nape, brown, tinged with grey, the feathers mar¬ 
gined with pale brown. The feathers of the breast are 
white at the base, the remainder mottled with brown and 
yellowish brown—as the bird gets older the white prevails. 
Lack, deep rufous brown, the tips of the feathers yellowish 
brown, looking like a spot on each side of the shaft. 
The wings, when closed, reach an inch beyond the end 
of the tail; greater and lesser wing coverts, deep rufous 
brown. The primaries have their shafts and inner webs at 
the base white, the outer webs and tips black; the second¬ 
aries are tipped with yellowish brown. The tail has part of 
the shafts and the base of the inner webs white, the rest 
black; the two middle feathers about three quarters of an 
inch longer than the others, but of the same breadth 
throughout, and rounded at the ends; upper and under tail 
coverts, barred across with pale brown and reddish white. 
Legs and toes, bluish black; the claws much hooked and 
black. 
In another stage the bill at the base is greenish brown, 
the point, which is curved, black; cere, greenish brown; iris, 
very dark brown. Head on the crown, the neck, and nape, 
brown, the feathers, margined with lighter brown; chin, 
throat, and breast, brown, with narrow transverse waves of 
paler buff-coloured brown. Back, umber brown, with broad 
margins to the feathers of a lighter shade, broadest on the 
lower part. Primaries, blackish brown, the shafts and a 
considerable portion of the inner webs white; tertiaries, 
umber brown, broadly margined with paler brown. Upper 
tail coverts, umber brown, each feather broadly margined 
with a lighter shade, the middle feathers about half an inch 
