Order AN8ERES.] 



[Fam. LAIUD^. 



STEECOEAEIFS PAEASITICIIS. 



(BUFFON'S SKUA.) 



The Arctick Bird, Edwards, Nat. Hist, of B. iii. p. 148, pi. 148 (1750). 



Le Stercoraire a longue queue, Briss. Orn. vi. p. 155 (1760). 



Larus parasiticus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 226 (1766), 



Le Stercoraire a longue queue de Siberie, Buff. PI. Enl. ix. pi. 762 (1784). 



Cataractes parasita, Pall. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. ii. p. 310 (1811). 



Lestris buffonii, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 562. 



Lestris creindata^ Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 724 (1831). 



Lestris parasitica, Swains, and Rich. Faun. Bor.-Am, Birds, p. 430 (1831). 



Cataractes longicaudatus, Macgill. Man. Brit. B. ii. p. 258 (1842). 



Stercorarius cephus. Gray, Gen. of B. iii. p. 653 (1845). 



Stercorarius longicaudatus, Degl. Orn. Europ. ii. 298 (1849). 



Stercorarius cepphus, Lawr. in Baird's B. N. Am. p. 840 (1860). 



Ad. supra cinerascenti-brunneus^ tectricibus alarum saturatioribus, supracaudalibus exterioribus versus basiu 



albicantibus r pileo summo pallidius brunneo, plumis albicantc obsolete terminatis : facie lateral!, guM 

 et collo postico albis, plumis versus apiccm brunnescentibus : corpore rcliquo subtus albo, liypochondriis 

 cum crisso et subcaudalibus cincrascenti-brunneo lavatis : subalaribus et axillaribus cinerascenti- 

 brunneis : remigibus brunneis, extus nigricantibus^ intus ad basin albidis^ scapis brunncscenti-albis, 

 exteriorum pure albis, secundariis intimis dorso concoloribus : caud^ saturate brunnea : rostro saturate 

 brunneo: pedibus cinerasceuti-uigris : iride nigra. 



Crown, nape, and sides of the bead dull greyish brown; neck all round, breast, and sides of the body greyish 

 white ; shoulders, and all the upper surface, dark olivaceous grey of different shades ; primaries and tail- 

 feathers blackish brown, the former with white shafts ; inner surface of wings, axillary plumes, and 

 abdomen ashy grey tinged with brown; some of the under tail coverts uniform ashy grey, others white 

 barred with grey. Irides black; bill dark brown; tarsi and toes greyish black, the claws darker. 

 Length 16-5 inches; extent of wings 38; wing, from flexure, 11'75 ; tail 5-5; bill, along the ridge 1*2, 

 along the edge of lower mandible 1*7; bare tibia "5; tarsus 1'6; middle toe and claw 1-5. 



The above description is taken from an example shot by myself on the sea-beach at Horowhenua, 



known 



the occurrence of this bird in New Zealand. 



Pr. 



F 



it is ^ ''^'\ 



red fern^^ 



ag' 



eating a si< 

 only partia 

 beyond th€ 



* 



.1 



