240 STUDIES IN BIRD-MIGRATION 



* Stercorarius Pomatorhinus, Pomatorhine Skua. 

 — On the i2th and 13th of October 191 1, this species 

 was observed in numbers all the way from St Kilda 

 to near Stornoway. It scrambled along with Gannets, 

 Shearwaters, etc., for the odds and ends of fish which 

 the cook of the Mercury cast overboard, and plunged 

 into the water, completely immersing itself, to secure 

 a share of the sinking tit-bits. 



Stercorarius crepidatus, Arctic Skua. — Dixon is 

 the only previous visitor to mention this species. He 

 tells us (p. 87) that he was informed that an example 

 was observed on St Kilda in the summer of 1883. 



No doubt it frequently occurs in the vicinity of the 

 islands, during the period of its spring and autumn 

 passages. We saw several in attendance on the 

 Kittiwakes at Boreray on 8th October 19 10, and one 

 came under our notice there on 12th October 191 1. 



Alca torda. Razorbill. — This very common breed- 

 ing species is described by Martin (p. 61) under the 

 local name of "Falk." In the Zoologist, 1887, p. 347, 

 Macpherson records that an example with pied upper 

 plumage was captured at St Kilda in June 1887. 



The Razorbills had left their haunts on Hirta some 

 time before our arrival, but we saw many at sea, 

 especially off Boreray, when leaving the islands on 8th 

 October 19 10. 



Alca impennis. Great Auk. — St Kilda holds a 

 unique place in the British history of this very remark- 

 able bird. It was from here that the "Garefowl" 

 was made known to us as a native of our islands ; and it 

 was here, it is believed, that the last of the British race 

 met its death as a victim of superstition. It is from 

 the St Kilda group, too, that we have obtained more 



