392 THE BIEDS OF DEVON. 



" managed to drag a Teal (Anas cyanopfera) through the wires of an 

 adjoiuing compartment, and devoured him like young Goshawks, with 

 cries of exultation " (Lord L. in litt.). The Common Skua has been 

 known to attack dogs, and even men, who have ventured near its nest, 

 with the greatest fierceness, and has been seen to strike down a Herring- 

 Gull, and Mr. Mansel-Pleydell relates an instance of one having been 

 shot just after it had been seen to kill a Wigeon in Poole Harbour. 



Dr. E. Moore say8 " a specimen was obtained here [Plymouth] by Mr. Drew in 

 February 1830, and is now in his collection." He also states that this Skua frequently 

 accompanies fishing-boats, and that " one was taken alive February Kith, 1835, having 

 gorged itself from the Whale " (Trans. Plym. Inst. 1830, p. 339 ; Mag. Nat. Hist. 1 837, 

 p. 363). Bellamy says, on the authority of Mr. Gosling, that six were shot in tlie 

 harbour at Plymouth in September and October 1831 (Nat. Hi.^t. S. Devon, p. 21.5). 

 The great Razor-back Whale was found floating dead, oif the Eddystone, in October 

 1831. There would, therefore, appear to be an error in Dr. Moore's date unless some 

 other whale is alluded to. 



An adult was found dead in a field near CuUompton, twelve or fourteen miles from 

 the coast, in 1848 (W. E. S., Zool. 1849, p. 2384). This specimen is now in the 

 A. M. M. In April 1850, one was caught in a net near Plymouth (E. P., Trans. 

 Devon. Assoc, viii. p. 298). One was picked up in an exiiausted state on the rocks in 

 Plymouth Sound. December 27th, 1852 (J. G., ' Naturalist,' 1853, p. 228). A bird 

 said to have been a Common Skua, and recorded by us as that species, was shot by the 

 late Charles Hall below Topsham on the Ese estuary, December 29th, 1855, having 

 just struck down a Black-headed Gull, which it was engaged in devouring (Zool. 1856, 

 p. 5065). It was purchased for Mr. Byne's collection, but the bird standing under the 

 name of 'Common Skua ' in that collection is a Pomatorhine Skua. In 1880 Mr. Gat- 

 couibe speaks of this fine species as " now unfortunately so rare on our coast" (Zool. 

 1880, p. 21). 



Mr. E. H. Kodd writes : — " To see the Common Skua one mi;st take a 

 boat and put off a few miles from shore during the pilchard and mackerel 

 seasons. A few pairs may then be generally observed, chasing and 

 worrying the other Gulls to make them disgorge their ])rey." He also 

 states that the fishermen occasionally catch these birds with a baited 

 hook. 



We have seen two specimens of this Skua in the Truro Museum. 



AVe know of no record of a Somerset example of the Common Skua, but 

 it is occasionally obtained off the Dorsetshire coast. 



Pomatorhine Skua. Stercorarius pomatorhmus 

 (Temm.). 



[Irish Lord (Torhay), Lords and Captains, Tom Harry, Boatswain 

 Gull.] 



A passing visitor in spring and autumn, being most numerous at the 

 latter season, when large flights appear off the south coast at intervals 

 of about ten years (as in October and November 1879), and smaller 

 numbers are seen in the Bristol Channel. This species is the least rare of 

 all the Skuas, and is generally to be met with in Torbay in October, and 



