Obdek ANSERES.] [Fam. LARID^E. 



STEECORARItIS PAEASITICUS. 



(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 cle 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 crepidata, 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, supracauclalibus exterioribus versus basiu 

 albicautibus : pileo summo pallidius brunneo, plumis albicante obsolete terminatis : facie laterali, gula 

 et collo postico albis, plumis versus apicem brunuescentibus : corpore reliquo subtiis albo, hypochondriis 

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

 brunneis : remigibus brunneis, extus nigricantibus, intiis ad basiu albidis, scapis brunnescenti-albis, 

 exteriorum pure albis, secundariis iutimis dorso concoloribus: cauda saturate brunnea : rostro saturate 

 bruuneo : pedibus ciuerasceuti-nigris : iride nigra. 



Crown, nape, and sides of tbe head 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, ll - 75 ; tail 5 - 5 ; bill, along the ridge l - 2, 

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



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

 in the Province of Wellington, on the 30th of April, 1864, this being the only known instance of 

 the occurrence of this bird in New Zealand. 



