SKUA. NATATORES. CATARACTES. 517 



POMARINE SKUA. 



CATARACTES POMARINUS, Steph. 

 PLATE CI. * 



Cataractes Pomarinus, Steph. Shaw's Zool. 13. 216. pi. 24. 



Lestris Pomarinus, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. 793. Faun. Amer. Boreal. 



2. 429. No. 194. Sabine, Sup. Parry's 1st Voy. 206. 22. 

 Stercoraire Pomarin, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 2. 793. 

 Stercoraire raye', Orn. 6. 152. No. 2. t. 13. f. 2. 

 Felsen Meve, Meyer, Vog. Deut. 2. Heft 20. 

 Pomarine Skua, Shaw's Zool. 13. 216. pi. 24. 

 Pomarine Jager, Faun. Amer. Boreal. 2. 429. No. 1 94. 



THIS species, intermediate in size between the Common Occasional 

 and Arctic Skuas, was first specifically described by TEM- 

 MINCK in his " Manuel d'Ornithologie," appearing, when 

 previously met with, to have been confounded with the lat- 

 ter of these birds. Since its distinctive characters have been 

 made known, and a greater degree of attention has been be- 

 stowed on ornithological pursuits, we find it more frequently 

 recognised , and within the last two or three years several 

 specimens have been obtained on the English coast, particu- 

 larly in Yorkshire and Durham, during the autumnal months. 

 In November 1831, a letter from RQDSTON READ, Esq. of 

 Frickly Hall, near Doncaster, informed me of his having 

 killed three of these birds off Scarborough, in the month 

 preceding ; and a subsequent communication from Mr WIL- 

 LIAMSON of the latter place, contained an account of others 

 which had come under his examination, all of them killed 

 upon the same part of the coast. He also gives an interest- 

 ing account of their manners, to observe which Mr READ 

 and himself had proceeded to sea in an open boat ; and he 

 goes on to say, " we were not disappointed, for, after rowing 

 out to sea about four or five miles, we had the pleasure of 

 seeing two in full chase after the other Gulls, in the manner 

 of the Lestris (Cataractes) Parasiticus, only appearing more 



