194 LARID^E. 



Stercorarius catarrhactes, COMMON SKUA. 



Larus Catarractes, Linnaeus, S. N. i. p. 226 (1766). 



Lestris cataractes, Naum. x. p. 470; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 602; 



id. ed. 3, iii. p. 621. 

 Lestris catarractes, Macg. v. p. 479; Eewitson, p. 505; 



Harting, p. 78. 

 Stercorarius catarrhactes. Gray, p. 227 ; Gould, v. pi. 78 ; 



Dresser, viii. p. 457. 

 The Common Skua, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 481. 



Catarrhactes = KctTappaKTijs, a sea-bird known to classical Greek writers, 

 from its " rushing down " on its prey like a cataract. 



The only breeding-places in Britain are in the Shetland 

 Islands ; but in autumn and spring individuals occur along 

 the coasts of the United Kingdom, especially over the fishing- 

 grounds some distance from land. It inhabits the north- 

 western portion of the Palsearctic and the northern Nearctic 

 Region. 



Stercorarius pomatorhinus. POMATOEHINB SKUA. 



Lestris pomarinus, Temminck, Man. d'Orn. p. 514 



(1815). 



Lestris pomarina, Naum. x. p. 487. 



Lestris pomarinus, Macg. v. p. 487; Yarr. ed. 2, iii. p. 606; 



id. ed. 3, iii. p. 625. 

 Stercorarius pomarinus, Gray, p. 227. 

 Stercorarius pomatorhinus, Gould, v. pi. 79; Dresser, viii. 



p. 463. 



Lestris pomatorhinus, Harting, p. 78. 

 The Pomerine Skua, Yarr. ed. 1, iii. p. 485. 



Pomcitorhinus, from Trw/xa, genitive Trwparos, a lid or cover, and pis, genitive 

 pi vos, the nose, nostril ; from the nasal operculurn. Originally written poma- 

 rinus, on the analogy of other compounds often cut short ; but amended by 

 Sclater, ' Ibis,' 1862, p. 297. 



A visitor to the shores of the United Kingdom in autumn 

 and spring, appearing occasionally in great numbers. It 

 breeds in the arct : c regions of both the Old and New worlds, 



