NATATORES. 389 



fically distinct has been followed by Bonaparte in his minute 

 subdivision of the Laridse. Like the B. jamesoni, this bird 

 has a white head and white eyes at all seasons. 



Genus STERCORARIUS, Brisson. 



The seas of the higher latitudes of both the northern and 

 southern hemispheres are frequented by parasitic Gulls, but 

 they are more numerous in the former than the latter. 



One species only of this form has been found in Australia. 



Sp. 599. STERCORARIUS CATARRHACTES. 



Great Skua. 



Larus catarrhactes, Linu. Sj'st. Nat., torn. i. p. 326. 



fuscus, Briss. Orn., torn. vi. p. 165. 



Lestris catharactes, III. Prod. Syst. Mamm. et Av., p. 273. 

 Catharacta skua, Briinn. Orn. Bor., no. 125. 

 Cataractes vulgaris, Flem. Edinb. Phil. Journ., vol. i. p. 97. 

 Catarractes skua, Steph. Cont. of Shawns Gen. Zool., vol. xiii. p. 215. 



noster, Sibb. Scot. Illust., vol. ii. p. 20, pi. 14. fig. 1. 



Stercorarius catarrhactes. Gray, Gen. of Birds, vol. iii. p. 663 ; Ster- 



corarius, sp. 5. 

 Lestris antaixtica. Less. Traite d'Orn., p. 616. 

 Megalestris catarractes, Bonap. Consp. Gen. Av., 1856, p. 206. 

 Port Egmont Hen, Hawks. Voy., vol. ii. p. 283. 

 Skua Gull of British Authors. 



Lestris catarractes, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. vii. pi. 21. 



Every voyager to and from Australia, whether by the Cape 

 of Good Hope or Cape Horn, will observe that in all the higher 

 latitudes the ship will be frequently visited by solitary ex- 

 amples of this Gull, which may be distinguished from the 

 Albatroses and Petrels by its more flapping and heavier mode 

 of flight, and by the white mark on the wing, which shows 

 conspicuously when seen from beneath ; it appears, however, to 

 be attracted to the ship more from curiosity than from aught 



