BIRDS OF NEW YORK II5 



feathers on the sides of the neck; bases of the wing feathers hght. This 

 melanotic plumage is usually confined to the immature birds, but may be 

 found in adults, and all stages or gradations between the dark phase des- 

 cribed above and the normal light plumage may be found. Intermediate 

 plumage: Dark band of spots across the breast, sometimes broadening 

 till the w'hole breast appears brown, mottled with white ; sides barred with 

 brown ; under and u]3pcr tail coverts barred with white ; central tail feathers 

 project one inch; feet blotched with chrome yellow. Otherwise like the 

 adult. YoiDig: Considerably smaller than the adult; bill and feet much 

 smaller and weaker ; central tail feathers projecting only one half inch or 

 less; body transversely waved with dull rufous, becoming broad bars on 

 the flanks and the tail coverts; brownish black prevailing on the back and 

 wing coverts; rufous predominating on neck and under parts; wings and 

 tail brownish black ; a dusky spot in front of the e\'e ; feet yellow ; toes black. 

 The different phases of plumage grade into each other imperceptibly. 



Length 20-23 inches; extent 48; wing 14; tail 8-9; bill i. 45-1. 75; 

 tarsus 2 ; tibia, l)are .75 ; middle toe and claw i.g-2 ; young less, in all dimen- 

 sions, wing 12.5 ; bill 1.25 ; tarsus 1.69, the tail varvingfrom 5.5 to 6.5 inches; 

 the tail of the adult, exclusive of the elongated feathers, 5 inches. 



Tliis sjjecies may be distinguished from the other jaegers by its greater 

 size, and b\- the shape of the central tail feathers, which are finite blunt 

 and twisted on their axes so that the vanes at the tips are nearlv vertical 



The Pomarine jaeger is a regular transient visitant along our Atlantic 



seaboard, occurring in June and Jul\' (Chapman), btit more common in 



the fall from August 6th to October 30th. It is also a rare visitant to the 



Great Lakes. Their appearance in numbers on our coast is said to depend 



largely on the abundance of small blucfish. Migration records are as follows : 



Rockaway, L. I. Sept. 19, 1S75. (0- ^>'- T. Lawrence, Forest and Stream, 10: 235 



Aug. 30-Oct. 15, 1872. Numerous. " " 



Ossining, N. Y. Oct. 18, 1S77. Dr A. K. Fisher 

 Long Island, N. V. Aug. 11, 1888. L. S. Foster 



Little Gull Island. L, I. Aug. 6-16, 1888. (common). Dutchcr, Auk, 6: 125 

 Lake Ontario, Monroe co., N. Y. \vv, rare. Truman R. Taylor 

 Buffalo, N. Y. (2). (Buffalo Soc. Nat. Sci. Collection and R. H. Reed collection). 



James H. Savage 

 Shinnecock bay, L. I. Oct. 9, 1885. (Carter). Dutchcr, Long Island Notes 

 Amityville. L. I. 1885. 



Montauk, L. I. Sept. 18. 1888. (Scott). " " 



Little Gull Island, L. I. Sept. iS, 18S8. (30). (Field)." « 



