THE POMATORHINE-SKUA 217 



some fifty more in view. All down the Yorkshire coast a somewhat 

 similar state of things took place, though perhaps nowhere was it 

 seen to such advantage as near Redcar. On the East Anglian coast 

 the first bird was shot on October 15, at Holkham. Many arrived on 

 the following day on the shores of the Wash, and from that date till 

 the end of the month they were found in parties all round the 

 Norfolk coast, and also in many cases inland. 



Next year another great immigration took place in Yorkshire 

 during a terrific storm from the north-east on October 28. " During 

 the height of the storm," says Mr. Nelson, " several hundreds passed 

 Redcar, flying close to the esplanade, and struggling to make headway 

 against the elements ; many were obliged to rest on the sands or 

 were driven inland." Owing to the driving sleet, rain, and sand, the 

 gunners were unable to turn out, so on this occasion the birds escaped. 

 There have also been some seven occasions since this date when 

 pomatorhine-skuas have occurred more or less frequently on the 

 Yorkshire coast, but always on the autumn migration. 1 In one case 

 an immense congregation of pomatorhine and Richardson's skuas 

 was noticed some miles off Bridlington. In this case the birds were 

 at first mistaken for ducks resting on the water. 



Although not infrequently recorded from our southern coasts, 

 where some appear to winter, and also round the Irish shores, 

 nothing approaching the remarkable irruptions on the Yorkshire 

 coast has been recorded, with the exception of a noticeable passage 

 of pomatorhine and Richardson's skuas which was observed by Mr. R. 

 Warren in North Ireland on October 22 and 23, 1862. Successive 

 flocks of the former birds were seen flying up the Moy Valley from 

 Killala Bay, and evidently making their way to Galway Bay. As 

 skuas were also observed by Mr. Warren in September 1869 and 

 October 1874, it is probable that some regularly migrate along the 

 west coast of Ireland. 2 In 1862, two days after the last skuas left 



1 Nelson, Birds of Yorkshire, ii. 700. 

 * R. Warren, Zoologist, 1875, 4699. 



