90 



feathers is a feature of the genus. The tarsus is a little shorter 

 than the middle toe and claw. 



I. THE GREAT SKUA. MEGALESTRIS CATARRHACTES. 



Larus catarrhactes^ Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 226 (1766). 



Lestris catarrhactes, Macgill. Brit. B. v. p. 479 (1852) ; Lilford, 

 Col. Fig. Brit. B. part xxvi. (1893). 



Stercorarins catarrhactes, Dresser, B. Eur. viii. p. 457, pi. 609 

 (1875); B. O. U. List Brit. B. p. 194 (1883); Saunders, 

 ed. Yarrell's Brit. B. iii. p. 664(1884): Seebohm, Hist. 

 Brit. B. iii. p. 346 (1885); Saunders, Man. Brit. B. p. 671 

 (1889); id. Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxv. p. 315 (1896). 



Adult Male. General colour above dark umber-brown, mottled 

 with rufous, the feathers being sub-terminally of this colour, and 

 varied with whitish where the ends of the feathers have worn 

 pale ; feathers of the neck rather more pointed, and showing 

 pale straw-coloured shafts ; wing-coverts dark umber-brown, 

 slightly mottled with white marks near the ends of the 

 feathers; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills blackish, 

 the outer primaries with yellowish-white shafts, the first quill 

 white towards the base of the inner web, the next five white 

 at the base of both webs, decreasing in extent on the inner 

 primaries, but forming a conspicuous wing-speculum; tail 

 blackish ; crown of head nearly uniform, dark umber-brown 

 very slightly mottled with reddish-brown centres to the 

 feathers ; lores and region of the eye dusky umber-brown, the 

 ear-coverts more rufescent brown ; under surface of body pale 

 chestnut rufous, varied with ashy grey bases to the feathers, 

 some of the flank -feathers streaked with white shaft-lines and 

 whitish at the ends; the under tail-coverts deeper rufous, with 

 white shaft-streaks; under wing-coverts and axillaries dark 

 umber-brown, the latter slightly rufous near the ends ; " bill 

 black, the cere with a greyish tinge ; tarsi and toes black ; iris 

 dark brown " (H. Saunders). Total length, 2 1 -5 inches ; cul- 

 men, 2*2; wing, 16*0; tail, 6*4; tarsus, 2*8. 



Adult Female. Similar to the male in plumage, though Mr. 

 Saunders is inclined to believe that she is a little larger than 

 her mate. 



