282 AVES NATATORES. [LKSTRIS. 



perfect plumage, but always of the same breadth throughout, and 

 rounded at the tips : bill and legs the same as described above." TEMM. 

 (Young of the year.) Head, neck, and all the upper parts, very dark 

 cinereous brown, approaching to dusky ; the feathers on the back, scapu- 

 lars, and wing-coverts, edged with reddish yellow : quills and tail dusky : 

 under parts "yellowish ash, with dusky spots and indistinct transverse 

 undulating bars ; upper and under tail-coverts with more distinct bands 

 of brown and yellowish white : base of the bill greenish blue ; the tip 

 black: legs bluish ash; base of the toes, and membranes, whitish: 

 central tail-feathers not more than half an inch longer than the others ; 

 the tips broad and rounded. (Egg.) Pale green ; the larger end spotted 

 with two shades of red brown : long. diam. two inches three lines ; trans, 

 diam. one inch six lines and a half. 



Inhabits the Arctic Regions. In this country, at least in the adult 

 state, a rare and accidental visitant. Immature birds have been killed 

 at Dover, Brighton, near London, and in several instances on the eastern 

 coast of England. Food and habits similar to those of the last species. 

 Said to breed on low hills in marshy districts, or on rocks. Constructs 

 a nest of grass and moss coarsely put together, and lays two or three 

 eggs. 



305. L. Richardsonii, Swains. (Richardson's Skua.) 

 Central tail-feathers projecting three inches ; gradually 

 tapering from the base ; the tips acute : tarsus one inch 

 nine lines ; slightly rugose posteriorly. 



L. Richardsonii, Faun. Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 433. pi. 73. Cataractes 

 parasiticus, Flem. in Edinb. Phil. Journ. vol. i. p. 101. Id. Brit. 

 An. p. 138. Larus parasiticus, Edmondst. in Edinb. Phil. Journ. 

 vol. v. p. 169, & vol. vn. p. 91. Arctic and Black-toed Gulls, Mont. 

 Orn. Diet, fy Supp. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. pp. 232, & 235. 

 Arctic Skua, Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 520. pis. 101, & 101*. Rich- 

 ardson's Lestris, Gould, Europ. Birds, part iv. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-one inches ; the same, central tail- 

 feathers excluded, eighteen inches : length of the bill (from the forehead) 

 one inch two lines and a half, (from the gape) one inch nine lines and 

 a half; of the tarsus one inch nine lines; of the middle toe, nail in- 

 cluded, one inch eight lines and a half; of the central tail-feathers nine 

 inches ; from the carpus to the end of the wing thirteen inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Adult male and female.) Forehead, crown, occiput, wings 

 and tail, deep black ; the shafts of the quills and tail-feathers white to 

 near their tips : rest of the upper plumage deep dusky brown tinged with 

 cinereous : nape, and ear-coverts, straw-yellow : throat, breast, and belly, 

 yellowish white : flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts, deep dusky gray : 

 bill and legs black. (Young of the year.) Extremely similar to those 

 of the last species, from which they are scarcely to be distinguished 

 except by their inferior size, less robust bill, shorter and smoother tarsi, 

 and the sharp-pointed central tail-feathers, which in length, however, do 

 not at this age exceed the others by more than half an inch : legs, and 

 basal portion of the webs as well as toes, flesh-colour; the remaining 

 portion of the membranes black, in which state it is the Black-toed Gull 

 of English authors. Obs. In the adult state this species is subject to 

 considerable variation of plumage; in sonic instances all the under parts 

 being of a uniform dark brownish gray without any of the yellow and 



