208 BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



267. LESTRIS CATARRHACTES (Linnaeus). Common 



Skua. 

 Provincial. Murrel-Hen, 



The Common Skua, the largest of the parasitic 

 Gulls, is not uncommon near Flamborough and along 

 the east coast in the autumn. I have met with it off 

 the Headland as early as the first week in August*. 

 Nests still, but in very limited numbers, on one or 

 two small islands in the Shetland group. 



268. LESTRIS POMATORHINUS, Temminck. Poma- 



torhine Skua. 



The Pomatorhine Skua occurs each autumn in 

 small numbers in the neighbourhood of Flamborough 

 and along the east coast, almost invariably, however, 

 in the brown immature dress, the full-plumaged bird 

 being quite exceptional. 



One which I examined in the flesh in October 1869, 

 at the house of Mr. Bailey at Flamborough, was pro- 

 cured in rather a curious manner. Mr. Bailey had, 

 when out in his boat in Bridlington Bay, shot at and 

 slightly wounded a Kittiwake Gull, which fell at some 



you would see the paddling feet of the poor little wretch pro- 

 truding from the mouth ; then came a distent! on of the neck 

 as it descended into the stomach ; a few moments more, and 

 the young Gulls were feeding on the ejected morsel." 



* Mr. Howard Saunders informs me that on the 15th of July, 

 1872, he saw a Common Skua, very early in the morning, 

 sweeping along the water, close inshore, at Cronier, probably 

 looking for any fisherman's offal left on the beach. 



