Il6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Little Gull Island, L. I. vSept. 20, 18S8. (15). (Field). Butcher Long Island Notes 



Oct. 7. 1888. 

 Montauk, L. I. Oct. 30, 1889. (Scott). 



Rockawav Inlet, L. I. Aug. 2, 1891. (7). (Marshall). " " 



Aug. 8, 1891. (2). 



Stercorarius parasiticus (Linnaeus) 

 Parasitic Jaeger 



Plate 4 



Larus parasiticus Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. 1:136 



L e s t r i s r i c h a r d s o n i i DeKa}'. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 2 15, fig. 293 



Stercorarius parasiticus. A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 37 



parasit'iciis, Lat., parasitic 



Description. Very similar in color to the Pomarine jaeger, perhaps 

 a more slat)* or brownish tinge on the u])per parts in the adult. The differ- 

 ent stages of plumage like that species; in size, however, decidedh' smaller; 

 the central tail feathers straight and pointed, projecting from J to 4 inches. 

 The young are similar to those of the next species and must be distinguished 

 by their relative dimensions, especially the structure of the bill; and the 

 color of the shafts of the primaries which are white with no abrupt cliaiige 

 to brownish. The color is also more buffy or rusty, and the size larger 

 than in the young of 1 o n g i c a u d u s. 



Length 17-20 inches; wing 12. 8-13. 75; tail 5-6, with central feathers 

 projecting 3 or 4 inches farther; bill exposed 1.24— 1.3; tarsus 1.60-1.75; 

 tibia, bare .5; middle toe and claw i. 62-1. 8. Young much less, the central 

 tail feathers projecting .75 to 2.5 inches, according to age; wing 12.4-12.8; 

 exposed culmen 1.22. 



The Parasitic jaeger is a fairly common or at least a regular transient 

 visitant on the coast of this State, appearing from the 15th of June to 

 November 15th. Other names for it are Richardson jaeger, Arctic hawk 

 gull, Black-toed gull, Boatswain, Marling-spike, Teaser. 



Five specimens from the interior of the State were all }'oimg birds of 

 the year, and at least two of them seemed to be in a very exhausted con- 

 dition as thev would not take wing when approached. The Monroe county 

 bird was found on the shore of the lake, the Herkimer county bird on the 

 water. Migration records are as follows: 

 Rockaway, L. I. June 1873. Lawrence, Forest and Stream, 10: 235 

 Gardiners Island. L. I. Aug. 1884. (Lucas & Buck). Butcher 

 Shinnecockbay, L. I. Oct. 9, 1885. 9 Butcher 



