THE SKUAS OF KILLALA BAY, CO. MAYO. 177 



variety that was shot by his nephew as, in company of two or 

 three others, it was flying over a bog at Killasser, twelve or 

 fourteen miles from the sea ; and a fourth specimen, a very 

 fine adult bird, with a long tail and white underparts, was found 

 dead on the Enniscrone sands by my sister, Miss Amy 

 Warren, on the 2nd of October, 1892. 



Richardson's Skua (Lestris crepidatus) visits the bay and 

 estuary much oftener than either of the other two species ; 

 occasionally in the spring, as well as on the autumnal 

 migration. This Skua first came under my notice in October, 

 1851, when residing with my brother, Mr. E. H. Warren, on 

 the island of Bartragh, Killala Bay. We observed the first of 

 the flight on the 8th, when returning from Killala to Bartragh, 

 two flocks of six and eight birds were seen coming at a great 

 height from the bay, and passing across the country to the 

 south-west, but these appeared to be only the advanced guard 

 of the large numbers that followed on the 15th and 16th ; for 

 early on the morning of the 15th, my brother saw four Skuas 

 flying in from the bay; about 9.30 a.m., nineteen birds passed, 

 one of which I shot (an immature, dark-coloured Richardson's) ; 

 at 11 o'clock we saw twenty-two passing ; about 12, I 

 saw ten ; and at 1 o'clock, seventeen ; these flocks, together 

 with the stragglers that passed singly while we were watching, 

 altogether made up the number to seventy-two birds, counted 

 without mistake. The wind was very high, blowing in wild 

 squalls, with heavy showers of rain all day, and continued 

 increasing all night, so that on the morning of the 16th a 

 regular gale was blowing, compelling the Skuas to keep their 

 flight very low when crossing over the land, so that we had a 

 good opportunity for observing them ; but, although we were 

 only able to remain till 11 o'clock on the watch, we noted 

 upwards of 100 birds passing. The greater part were 

 dark-coloured birds, very few individuals with long tails or 

 white breasts appearing amongst the others. Some birds 

 appeared tired, and occasionally one would alight on the 

 water, rest for a few minutes and then rise, and follow its com- 

 panions, but none appeared in want of food, for although there 

 were numbers of gulls about the sands and channels, they were 

 never molested by the passing Skuas, though close to them. 



