BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 445 
THE ARCTIC or RICHARDSON'S SKUA. 
Stercorarius crepidatus (J. F. Gmelin). 
Local names — Boatswain-Gull ; Black-toed Gull. 
An occasional visitor to the Solway. 
A specimen of the " Boatswain or Black-toed GuU " is 
recorded as having been caught alive on September 12th, 
1839, " on the shore at Conheath, near Glencaple Quay, 
a spot very distant from its native habitat ; to which it had 
been driven by the late storm. Mr. Pennant gives a descrip- 
tion of the bird in question, which Bewick adopts, accompanied 
by a drawing of one shot on the coast of Durham in October, 
1800, and the resemblance, we must say, between these 
memoranda and the specimen before us is complete in all 
its points."* 
A Richardson's Skua was obtained at Priestside (Cum- 
mertrees) on August 13th, 1895. Mr. J. Harkness writes 
me from Ruth well in 1908 that he had not heard of any for 
some years, but that they used in some winters to be com- 
mon. After severe gales individuals are occasionally found 
inland, and a specimen shot at Holehouse Linn near Moffat 
in the winter of 1896 is now (1908), so Mr. J. A. Johnstone 
tells me, in the possession of Mr. A. Fyfe of that town. 
Mr. W. Nichol informs me that he saw a bird of this species 
ofE the Dumfriesshire coast on October 5th, 1907, and on 
September 10th, 1908, a Richardson's Skua was found 
lying dead in the Nith opposite Kingholm Mill. It is now 
in Mr. R. Service's collection, who writes that it was perfect 
in plumage, but extremely emaciated. On skinning it he 
found several lead pellets embedded in its flesh, so that the 
cause of its death was obvious. t One was shot at Powfoot 
(Cummertrees) by Mr. J. Dalrymple on November 13th, 1909, 
* Dumfries Courier, October 2nd, 1839. 
t Kirkcudbright Advertiser, November 27th, 1908. 
