GULL. 1 63 



is in estimation on account of the feathers, which are very soft, and 

 much valued for stuffing of beds and cushions ; and if not this bird, 

 at least may be one of the Genus, as the feathers of all the tribe are 

 said to be used indiscriminately for that purpose at the Cape, in 

 preference to those of the Goose ; many thousands being killed there 

 every year.* The inhabitants of St. Kilda are accustomed to torture 

 a large kind of Gull, called Fuilag; probably the one known there 

 by the name of Bonxy. They discover the greatest rage at seeing, 

 or hearing of this cruel enemy, and exert their whole address to 

 take it, when they pluck out its eyes, sew the wings together, and 

 send it adrift. At other times they extract the meat out of the egg, 

 on a supposition that the bird may sit till it pines away; and to eat 

 the egg would be accounted flagitious, and worthy of a monster 

 only.f The Skuas abound in the Island of Tristan da Cunha, 

 attracted thereto by the various species of Petrels, which they attack 

 as they come out of their holes in the evening, and leave nothing 

 but the bones and feathers, to attest the havock made among them. J 



23— POMARINE GULL. 



Lestris poinarinus, Tern. M an. d'Orn. 514. Id.Ed.ti. 796. Parry's App. p. ccvi. 

 Stercorarius striatus, Bris. vi. 152. t. 13. f. 2. Id. 8vo. ii. 401. 



LENGTH eighteen or nineteen inches. Bill two inches, bluish ; 

 irides yellow ; all the upper parts of the bird plain brown bay ; the 

 under the same, but paler; tail white at the base, otherwise dusky 

 brown ; shafts of the quills white ; shins lead-colour ; base of the 

 toes whitish, the rest black, hind claw white; wings and tail even. 

 Both sexes alike in plumage. The young bird has the feathers 

 varied with pale brown ; a black space before the eye ; scapulars 

 and wing coverts deep brown, with a rufous bar at the ends ; belly 

 and upper and under tail coverts banded rufous and dusky. 



* Kolb. Cap. f Buchanan's Trav. % Lin. Trans, xii. 487. 



Y 2 



