1876. J MR. H. SAUNDERS ON THE STERCORARIIN.E. 325 



Rich. F. Bor.-Am, p. 429 (1831); Naumann, Vog. Deutsch. x, 

 p. 487, pi. 271 (1840); Teram. Man. d'Orn. p. 495, ed. 1840; 

 Middendorf, Sib. Reise, p. 240, tav. xxiv. fig. 1 (egg) (1853). 



Coprotheres pomarinus, Reich. Nat. Syst. Vog. p. v (1852). 



Catarracta pomarina (Tern.), Blyth, J. As. S. Bengal, xxvih\ 

 p. 406 (1859) (Moulmein). 



Lestris pomerinus (Tern.), Newton, P. Z 4 S. 1861, p. 401, pi. xxix. 

 fig. 3 (egg). 



Lestris pomerkinus, Preyer, R. n. Island (1862). 



Lestris pomatorhinus, Sclater, Ibis, 1862, p. 297. 



Stercorarius pomarhinus, Malmgren, Spitzbergens Fogl. p. 411 

 (1864). 



Stercorarius pomatorhinus, Newton, Ibis, 1865, p. 509 ; Gillett, 

 Ibis, 1870, p. 307; Coues, in Elliot's Prybilov Is. (1874); Coues, 

 B. of N.W. Am. p. 607 (1874) ; Eaton," Zoologist, 1874, p. 3812 

 (Spitzbergen) ; Newton, B. Greenland, p. 107 (1875). 



Lestris pomatorhina, Th. v. Henglin, Ibis, 1872, p. 65. 



The description and figure given by Brisson of his Stercorarius 

 striatus clearly show that he had before him an immature specimen 

 of this species, the representation of the strong heavy feet garnished 

 with large claws being highly characteristic. Although Brisson's 

 name cannot be retained, yet, if it had been adopted by any naturalist 

 subsequent to the 12th ed. of Linnaeus, it must necessarily have ante- 

 dated the well-known name given by Temminck ; but this change has 

 fortunately been spared us. With regard to Gmelin's name of crepi- 

 datus, which Dr. Coues was inclined to refer to this species, I trust 

 to be able to show that it can only belong to that which I call for 

 the present Richardson's Skua. Temminck's name is therefore re- 

 tained, subject to the emendation proposed by Mr. P. L. Sclater 

 (Ibis, 1862, p. 297), where he showed that the classical spelling 

 should be pomatorhinus, being derived from izuifxa (operculum) and 

 piv (na.-nis), a view which has since been generally adopted by 

 ornithologists. There can be no doubt from the description, 

 especially of the tail-feathers, given by Pallas that this is the species 

 called by him C. parasitica, var. camtschatica. 



In plumage this species does not exhibit any remarkable variation, 

 although some immature birds are decidedly less marked with sooty 

 striations on the underparts than others. In the adults the 

 acuminate feathers on the neck assume a beautiful golden tinge ; and 

 the dark pectoral band evidently becomes narrower with increasing 

 age until it is totally lost and the bird is pure white from the chin 

 to the abdomen. I have only seen one example of this extreme 

 plumage, in the Rouen Museum, which boasts of nineteen picked 

 specimens of Pomatorhine Skuas, none of which, unfortunately, bears 

 any label indicating either date or locality. 



The most northern locality recorded for this species is lat. 82° N., 

 where a specimen was observed by Ross flying past the boats on 

 Parry's fourth voyage. It has been found on the coast of Spitz- 

 bergen, and in Novaya Zemlya ; and south of these points it ranges 

 throughout the whole of the arctic and subarctic regions. Von 

 Middendorf found it breeding on the " barrens" of the Taimyr and 



