L ARID. ^— GULLS. 269 



spring and autumn. It breeds very sparingly on two of the Shet- 

 lands. In common with the other Skuas, it is known among the 

 fishermen and others on the Essex coast by various local names, 

 which are expressive of one of its characteristic habits, rather than 



polite. 



One was taken at Elmdon about 1820, by the Rev. R. Fiske (Clarke— 24). 

 At Harwich it is " rare," though one was shot just outside the harbour on Sept. 

 I2th, 1876 (40. 52), and another was seen there in the autumn of 1888 (Kerry). 

 Mr. A. H. Smee saw two on the Thames on Oct. 3rd, 1867, one opposite Green- 

 hithe, the other b}' the Chapman Light, at the east end of Canvey Island (84. 

 1017). Yarrell says (14. ill. 4S3) specimens have been obtained in autumn on 

 the Essex coast. I saw^ a Skua, which I believe to have been this species, at sea 

 about two miles off Walton-on-the-Naze on Sept. 8th, 1888. " Wadding " records 

 seeing one pursue, and at last seize and kill, a Black-headed Gull off Southend, 

 on Oct. 30, 1858, Both birds were obtained and stuffed by Ward (29. Nov. 13). 

 Pomatorhine Skua : Stercorarius poviatorhijius. 

 An occasional visitor to the coast when on migration in spring 

 and autumn. 



Yarrell mentions one {Zool. Journ. iii. 497 ; and 30. iii. 626) "shot in Hackney 

 Marshes some years since and now in the Collection of a gentleman at Wanstead." 

 Mr. Harting {Birds of Middlesex, p. 270), records a young one shot at the mouth 

 of the Thames in August, 1862. Mr. G. H. Baxter has one which he shot on 

 Oct. 7th, 1879, while yachting off Southend (29. Oct. 25). A bird of the year 

 was shot at West Mersea in Dec , 1874 (32a). At Harwich, " a few are seen most 

 autumns " (Kerr}-), and Mr. Hope has one shot there in Aug., 1876. 



Richardson's Skua : Stercorarius crepidatiis. Locally 

 " Black-toed Gull " and " Boatswain " (E.A.F.) 



Fairly common on the coast as a passing migrant in spring and 

 autumn. It breeds sparingly in the Highlands and northern isles 

 of Scotland. 



In the Walden Museum is an immature individual killed at Sampford in 1837. 

 A specimen was shot during the severe winter of 1837-38 at High Ongar (19. 45). 

 Mr. Harting records an immmature specimen shot in Greenwich Reach in the 

 autumn of 1862 {Birds of Middlesex^ p. 271). At Harwich it is "rare " (Kerry), 

 but an immature bird was shot on the Dovercourt beach on Oct. 12th, 1879 (40. 

 iii. 459), and in 1879 ^ mature and two immature birds were shot near Harwich 

 on Nov. loth, I2th, and 22nd respectively, also another mature specimen seen 

 (40. iv. 69). Mr. Baxter has one which he shot on Oct. 7th, 1879, whilst yachting 

 off Southend. One was shot on the Blackwater Estuary in Dec, 1889 (Fitch). 



Buffon's Skua : Stercorarius parasiticus. 



A rare and occasional visitor when on migration. 

 Mr. Clarke mentions one killed at Sampford on Sept, 29th, 1837 (24)- 

 Mr. Bond met with a young specimen at Southend early in Sept., 1842 (23. 

 40). On Oct. 20th, 1881, a very emaciated specimen was picked up near Wim- 

 bish and preserved by Mr. Travis (44. ii. Ixxx.). An immature specimen was 

 caught on Canvey Island on Sept. 27th, 1882 (Bird). Mr. Baxter has one 

 which he shot off the pier head at Southend in the month of August about 

 the year 1883. 



