Descriptive List ^5 



Narrows Island Shooting Club. On December 31, 1902, Pearson found a live 

 specimen lying helpless on the beach near the surf 31 miles north of Cape Hatteras. 

 It had recently lost one of its feet, {lerhaps by the bite of some fish. It was much 

 emaciated, and died within a few hours. The mounted skin is now in the museum 

 of the State Normal and Industrial College at Greensboro. A live male was found 

 on the beach at Pea Island by J. B. Etheridge, January 11, 190.5. (Bishop.) A 

 fourth record is from Currituck Sound, where a live male was picked up on the 

 beach near the Currituck Shooting Club, January 20, 1905, and sent in the flesh to 

 J. E. Thayer {Auk, July, 1905, p. 289). Early in the year 1909 several were noted 

 at Beaufort ; two of these, taken on February 1 , were secured by J. E. Thayer. Two 

 others, killed February 15 and 24 respectively, were received in the flesh by Pear- 

 son, who forwarded them to the State Museum. Later reports, substantiated by 

 specimens, showed them to have been quite common in the region of Cape Lookout 

 that winter. Flocks were seen and numbers of the birds in helpless condition were 

 washed ashore in the bight of the Cape. 



II. ORDER LONGIPENNES. LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS 



These are water birds possessing great power of flight. They are chiefly mari- 

 time, except when nesting. Unlike the ducks and diving birds, which sit low in the 

 water, birds of this order ride lightly on the waves. Three families are represented 

 in North Carolina. 



KEY TO FAMILIES 



1. Lower mandible much longer than upper, almost the entire length of both being compressed 

 hke a knife blade. Skimmers {Rynchopidoe) . 



1. Lower mandible not longer than upper, nor especially compressed. See 2. 



2. Covering of upper mandible consisting of a hook at tip, a cere overhanging the nostrils, 



and lateral pieces. Jaegers (Slcrcorariid(r) ■ 

 2. Covering of bill in a single piece, pierced by the nostrils. Gulls and Terris. (Larida:). 



4. FAMILY STERCORARIID/E. JAEGERS AND SKUAS 



This family comprises gull-like birds, with the bill hooked, and with a cere or 

 covering of naked skin at the base. The lower part of the tibia is naked, and the 

 middle tail-feathers project beyond the others. 



Representatives of two genera occur on the Atlantic coast of North America, but 

 only one has been noted in North Carolina. 



Genus Stercorarius (Briss.) 



KEY TO SPECIES 



1. Culmen about 132 inches or more, wing usually more than 13)2, lengthened tail-feathers, 

 broad and rounded at ends. Pomarine Jaeger. 



1. Culmen less than 13-^2 inches, wing less than 133^, lengthened tail-feathers narrow and 



pointed at ends. See 2. 



2. Tarsus black, hke feet; middle tail-feathers in adult projecting about 4 inches. Parasitic 



Jaeger. 

 2. Tarsus hght bluish, feet black, middle tail-feathers in adult projecting 8 or 10 inches. Long- 

 tailed Jaeger. 



