BIRDS OF SOUTH-HAST NORTHUMBERLAND. 257 
Farnes for many of the birds which visit here, journeying to 
and from their breeding stations on these islands. 
Great Sxua (Stercorarius catarrhactes).—A winter visitant of 
irregular occurrence. The bird figured by Bewick in his ‘ British 
Birds’ is mentioned by him as having been shot near Tyne- 
mouth in September, 1820. About the year 1859 Mr. Hancock 
says, in his ‘Catalogue,’ that while shooting at St. Mary’s 
Island he observed a Tern, which had been wounded and fallen 
into the sea out of reach, eaten alive by a Great Skua which had 
settled in the sea beside it. Mr. C. M. Adamson, in his ‘ Scraps 
about Birds,’ mentions a specimen in his possession which was 
shot at sea, near Cullercoats, on Jan. 24th, 1868. 
PomaTorHINE Sxua (S. pomatorhinus).—An irregular autumn 
visitant on migration south, of which there are but four 
records. The first were two shot near Tynemouth on Oct. 21st, 
1837, by Mr. Duncan’s father; a mature female shot at Tyne- 
mouth on Sept. 14th, 1846 ; another in full adult plumage was 
shot by Mr. J. Duncan at St. Mary’s Island on Oct. 16th, 
1887. 
Arctic or RicHarpson’s Sxua (S. crepidatus).—An occasional 
visitant on migration in autumn. ‘The first record I have is one 
mentioned in the Catalogue of the Allan (Old) Museum, New- 
castle-on-Tyne. There it is called the “ Black-toed Gull,” which 
is the immature of the Arctic Skua. It was killed at Cullercoats 
about 1810, and presented to the museum by Mr. H. Edmonston, 
of Newcastle-on-Tyne. In October, 1893, an adult male was 
procured at St. Mary’s Island; and on Sept. 24th, 1895, a 
mature male of the dark variety and an adult female of the light 
variety were also procured at the island. Several more have 
also been shot on migration. On Oct. 25th, 1909, my brother 
observed six Skuas flying past St. Mary’s Island in company 
with some immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls. By the fisher- 
men this bird is called ‘‘ Dort-bord” (Dirt-bird), from its habit 
of catching the food disgorged by Gulls when it chases them. 
Burron’s Sxua (S. parasiticus).—A rare autumn visitant on 
migration. I have three records of this species. The first, an 
immature bird, shot at Tynemouth on Sept. 30th, 1841; the 
second specimen, a fine adult, was shot by Mr. Ewen in 1892, 
at St. Mary’s, and is now in his possession; the last, an im- 
Zool, 4th ser. vol. XVI., July, 1912. Xx 
