THE POMATORHINE SKUA. 
413 
coast^ Dr. Armstrong in the Irrawaddy Delta, and Mr. Blyth received it 
from Arrakan. Near the Sittang and the adjacent plains it is far from 
uncommon. 
It occurs all over Europe^ Africa and Asia, extending on the south-east 
to Cochin China and down the Malay peninsula, where it meets N. cyanopuSj 
a species diffused through Eastern Asia from J apan to Australia, and differ- 
ing from N. arquatus in having the rump and upper tail- coverts rufous - 
grey or brown strongly barred with dark brown. 
The Curlew is a winter visitor to Burmah, retiring in the spring to 
northern climates to breed. It is usually seen lone, and is extremely wary 
and difficult to approach. 
Order XV. GAVI^. 
Family LARID^. 
Subfamily STEECORAEIIN^. 
Genus STERCORARIUS, Briss. 
753. STERCOHARIUS POMATOEHINUS. 
THE POMATOEHINE SKUA. 
Lestris pomarinus, Tenvm. Man. d^Orn. p. 514. Catarracta pomarina, Tick. 
J. A. S. B. xxviii. p. 416. Catarractes pomarhinus, Bl. Ibis, 1859, p. 464. 
Lestris pomatorhinus, Bl. B. Burm. p. 163. Stercorarius pomatorhinus, 
Saunders^ P. Z. S. 1876, p. 324; Dresser, Birds Eur. viii. p. 463, pi. : Hume Sf 
Dav. S. F. vi. p. 490 ; Hume, S. F. viii. p. 115. 
Description. — Adult. Forehead, crown, nape, sides of the face and cheeks 
dark brown ; chin, throat, sides of the head from the eyes backwards, the 
whole neck and entire lower plumage, except the vent and under tail- 
coverts, white j the sides and back of the neck tinged with yellow ; the 
breast streaked sparingly with brown ; the sides of the body blotched with 
brown ; the vent, under tail-coverts and under wing-coverts brown, the 
two former dashed in places with white ; upper plumage, wings and tail 
