180 A. L. V. Manniche. 



Richardson's Skua. Lestris parasitica (Auctorum). 



A small species of Skua appeared now and then around the ship 

 during the navigation through the pack-ice. 



I could generally identify these birds as L. longicauda, but in 

 a few cases an exact identification was impossible. 



The slight difference in exterior between L. parasitica and L. 

 longicauda — especially in younger birds — in connection with the 

 long distance at which they appeared, accounts for this. 



In a certain case I think that I have identified a couple of 

 parasitica, and therefore quote the following lines from my notebook. 



"August 15th 1906 (lat. 77° 20' п.). The ship is lying in a very 

 extensive opening in the ice — some 20 km. long & 10 km. broad 

 with a few larger flakes of ice in drift. The northern part of the 

 opening ending in thickly packed ice-bergs. The coast free from 

 ice. Many birds near the ship. 



Amongst others a couple of Skuas, which I, almost with cer- 

 tainty record as L. parasitica. Both the birds seemed to be extra- 

 ordinarily dark with a paler shade on the lower part of the neck 

 or perhaps on the fore-breast. The elongated rectrices were ab- 

 solutely shorter and seemed broader than in L. longicauda in full 

 plumage; the flight appeared heavier, and the general impression of 

 the birds was larger. Nearest distance about 50 meters." 



The Pomatorhine Skua. Lcsiris pomatorhina (Temm.). 



August 6"^ 1906 I observed a Pomatorhine Skua on lat. 75° 49' п., 

 long. 12^10' w.; it passed the ship, which was surrounded by strongly 

 packed ice. 



I met with no other specimen of this species. 



Black Guillemot. Cepphiis grylle (L.). 



Solitary old birds in summer plumage appeared twice in the 

 pack-ice on the voyage outwards namely August P' (lat. 75° 20' п., 

 long. 8° w.) and August 2"'^ (lat. 75° 40' п., long. 10° 10' w.). While 

 Ihe Black Guillemot did not appear in the summer of 1907 in the 

 waters by Danmarks Havn — these being constantly ice-covered 



