2324 The Zoologist — Outober, 1870. 



on our coast, and in every instance in immature plumage : specimens 

 obtained from Mount's Bay. 



Richardson's Skua. — Rarely observed on our coasts, and still more 

 rarely in adult plumage. The figure in Bewick of the arctic gull is 

 this species in adult plumage. 



Billon's Skua. — Very rare : a specimen found inland in the parish 

 of St. Buryan, in adult plumage, is now in a private collection of birds 

 in Penzance. (See note as to the possible existence of another small 

 species of skua, in the ' Zoologist,' p. 7758). 



[So very little was known of this species by Montagu, Bewick, 

 Selby and Yarrell, that I may perhaps be excused for introducing a 

 passage from Mr. Wheelwright, showing how well he was acquainted 

 with its breeding habits and food ; prefixing a brief but elegant 

 passage from Wilson on the necessity of actual personal study of 

 birds in preference to the all but universal plan of trusting to book 

 knowledge : Mr. Wheelwright is an illustrious example of carrying 

 out Wilson's views. 



"The changes of plumage to which birds of this genus are subject 

 have tended not a little to confound the naturalist, and a considerable 

 collision of opinion, arising from an imperfect acquaintance with the 

 living object, has been the result. To investigate thoroughly their 

 history it is obviously necessary that the ornithologist should 

 frequently explore their natural haunts; and to determine the species 

 of occasional or periodical visitors, an accurate comparative examina- 

 tion of many specimens, alive or recently killed, is indispensable. Less 

 confusion would arise among authors if they would occasionally 

 abandon their accustomed walks, their studies and their museums, 

 and seek correct knowledge in the only place where it is to be 

 obtained, in the grand temple of Nature." — Wilson. 



"Owing, as it was supposed up here, to the quantity of lemmings 

 which swarm in these fells this summer, the Buffon's skuas were 

 unusually numerous in this neighbourhood, and from first to last I 

 obtained more than thirty specimens of old birds, besides many eggs 

 and some young. But from all I could hear this was a very unusual 

 occurrence, and years may elapse before they will appear again in 

 such numbers in these fells, although a year never passes without 

 some being seen. It appears, therefore, that the northern stretch of 

 this large fell range is the summer home of this skua, which in winter 

 is occasionally met with as far south as the British Channel. We got 

 our first nest on tlie 3rd of June, and continued to take fresh eggs 



