178 THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND, 



passage of this species down the Irish Channel 

 annually, but it is generally after severe weather 

 that examples are obtained on the coast. An adult 

 male was killed near Whitehaven on October 16th, 

 1879, its companion escaping (Zool., 1880, p. 109). 

 Another was obtained at the same time on Rockliffe 

 marsh by Mr. A. Smith. In 1884, a female in 

 nearly adult plumage was shot at Bowness-on- 

 Solway by G. Holmes, on October 24th ; and several 

 others obtained on the Solway, are preserved in 

 Mr. G. Dawson's collection at Bellevue. 



S. Crepidatus. Richardson's Skua. 



Richardson's Skua is a periodical visitant, arriving 

 on the Solway in sparing numbers in August, de- 

 parting in October. From its darting flight and 

 habit of robbing the other Gulls, it is well known 

 to the Solway fishermen, though it appears to be of 

 infrequent occurrence on the open coast. Although 

 this Skua is an autumnal visitant, it has occurred in 

 a few instances both in mid-winter and in the height 

 of summer. Thus an adult was shot at Skinburness 

 on December 24th, 1880, by Mr. Johnston ; while, 

 in 1885, several birds spent the summer on the 

 Solway, one of their number frequently flying 

 some miles up the river Eden. A black Skua, 

 believed to be a Richardson's Skua, and lately in 

 the possessioh of Mr. T. Mann, was shot near 

 AUonby, at midsummer. An immature bird was 

 shot inland near Alston, on October 1st, 1857 

 [B. Greenwell, MS.), and a fine adult in the pos- 

 session of T. H. Horrocks, Esq., of Edenbrows, 

 was also obtained near Alston. 



