230 STERCORAKIID^. 



258. Rhynchops albicollis. The Indian Skimmer or Scissobs-bill. 



^ 16 J". Legs vermilion. Bill orange. Crown, nape, back, wings, mid-rump, 

 mid tail-coverts, and inner web of median rectrices blackish brown. Forehead, 

 lores, cheeks, neck all round and below white. Sides of rump, tail-coverts, and 

 rest of tail white. — Young have bill and feet dusky. Large rivers of India and 

 Burma. Not known in Ceylon. Four eggs (1-63 x 1-18), buff, blotched and 

 streaked brown and purple. (J. 995. B. 1517.) 



Also E. flavirostris. 17". Legs vermilion. Bill orange. No -white collar. Above umber- 

 brown, beneath white. Africa and Red Sea. 



M. nigra. 17"- Legs orange. Bill red, tip black. Above black, beneath white. Under 

 wing-coverts white. Tail chiefly white. N. America. 



R. inUrcedens. 16J"- Similar to R. nigra, but tail chiefly brown, with merely white 

 borders to the outer webs. S. America. 



R. melanura. 19i" to 20J". Similar to R. intercedens, but tail dark brown, with whitish 

 margins. Under wing-coverts dusky. S. America. 



Family STEECOEAKIIDuE. Skuas. 



Bill with a horny cere extending more than half the bill. Hind toe small. 

 Anterior toes long and fully webbed. Claws strong, much curved, and sharp. 

 Wings long and pointed, first quill longest. Tail long and rounded, with central 

 pair projecting. Sternum with one notch on each side of posterior margin. Gull- 

 like birds that live mainly by robbing Gulls, Terns, and Petrels of their food. 

 Plumage dark-coloured. Breed in high latitudes. Two eggs, olive, spotted brown. 



Genus STERCORARIUS. 



BiU like a Gull's, with upper mandible bent over lower. Tail long and rounded, 

 with central rectrices projecting 3" or more. 



259. Stercorarius pomatorhinus. The Pomatoehine Skua. 



Fomdi)Srhlnus, from ir&na, genitive Tc4/taTos=a lid or cover ; pis, genitive po'4s=the nose, 

 nostril, from the nasal operculum. Originally written pomarinus, 



(J 20" to 21". Legs blackish. Bill horny brown. Forehead, cheeks, and 

 crown sooty black. Acuminate feathers of neck white, edged straw colour. 

 Breast dull white, barred black. Mantle, upper tail-coverts, and rectrices deep 

 brown. Primaries brown, with white shafts. Abdomen, flanks, and under wing 

 umber. Two central tail-feathers 4" longer than the others, rounded at ends, and 

 twisted upwards. Breeds in Arctic regions north of 70°, and ranges in winter to 

 Africa, Australia, and S. America. A single specimen was once obtained by 

 Colonel Tickell at Moulmein. Eggs (2-3 x 1-65) olive, spotted dark brown. 

 (B. 1519.) 



260. Stercorarius crepidatus. Richaedson's Skua. 

 (? 20". Legs black. Bill brown. Crown, nape, lores, and sides of head 

 dark brown. Cheeks, ear-coverts, narrow collar (sharply defined in front) white. 

 Throat and collar tinged straw colour. Often a pale brown gorget. Mantle, 

 wings (above and below), and tail dark brown. All shafts of primaries white. 

 Median rectrices pointed, and project 3" beyond the others. Arctic and sub- 

 Arctic regions down to lat. 55°, and in winter to Europe, Africa, Persian Gulf, 



