G 
POirATOiUllNE SKUA. 
feathers edged with white. When first taken hut one of the elongated feathers remained in the tail, and 
this was lost shortly after. The three others captured at the same time were, as previously mentioned, birds 
of the year ; one escaped, owing to its wing not having been clipped, but the other two remained perfectly 
healthy in confinement till the 19th of September, 1882, when both were unfortunately drowned. Prom 
their earliest stages one of these captives was considerably darker in colouring, and this distinction was 
retained through every change till the end. When once a suitable groundwork for their enclosure 
had been obtained (turf grown on a foundation of chalk) they were not troubled with corns or swellings 
on their feet, and the old wounds from which they suffered at first speedily disappeared. The cries 
and screams they uttered were most amusing, and the names of Punch and Judy were bestowed on 
account of their extraordinary vocal performances. Any wandering proprietor of the old familiar show of 
Punch would have been wild with jealousy at the “Toby, Toby, Toby,” ending with a prolonged 
squeal and a whistle, which, when excited, one or the other of these strange birds would occasionally 
give vent to. The captives thrived Avell on herrings, mackerel, or sprats, their actions while feeding 
being exceedingly singular. If one happened to seize a portion of food too large to be swallowed with ease, 
he W'ould call loudly, Avhen his companion at once ran rapidly up, and clutching hold of one end of 
the fish, each would tug lustily till the whole was divided, Avhen the parts were consumed by the pair 
in the most amicable manner. This curious performance Avas noAV and then repeated half a dozen times 
during the same meal. 
Though Pomatorhine Skuas are considerahly more powerful than the Arctic, I believe it is seldom 
they pursue any of the larger Gulls Avhen in quest of prey, Kittiwakes and the various species of 
Terns being most frequently attacked by both the Arctic and Pomatorhine. On one occasion during 
the autumn of 1871, I Avatehed an adult flying in such a manner as to gUe the impression that 
it was in chase of a Ileron along the shore near Canty Bay ; the awkward long-legged Avader AA’as 
evidently terribly scared, shrieking and A^ainly attempting to avoid the SAVoop of the dashing sea-bird. As 
far as I was able to ascertain, there Avas little cause for alarm, as the Skua j>assed rapidly on, apparently 
only endeavouring to hustle the Heron out of his course. 
As “black ” or “ dirty black Allans,” Skuas are spoken of by most of the Scotch fishermen ; occasionally 
I beard this name made use of by a fcAV of the men sailing in the east-coast luggers out of A^armouth and 
LoAvestoft, though to the majority they are knoAvn as “ Molberries Along the Cornish coast they 
are usually called “ Tom Harries,” Avhile the seafaring fraternity belonging to the Sussex ports bestow 
other titles on these robbers ; the names they give, hoAvever, being derived from entirely mistaken ideas 
concerning the habits of the birds, are not AAorth recording. 
While in correspondence Avith the light-ships off the east coast in 1872 and the following year, I ascertained 
that Gulls occasionally came in contact with the lamps, though it aaus by no means a common occurrence for 
any species, with the exception of Skuas, to be taken in this manner. The mate of the ‘ KcAA^arp ’ informed me 
that he had once found as many as three Skuas on deck during his Avatch — one of Avhich, a large brown- 
coloured bird, probably a Great Skua, mistaken in the dark for a foAvl Avhile lying disabled in a corner, inflicted 
a most severe bite on his hand. Prom all I could learn, the species usually taken were either Pomatorhine or 
Arctic, in the various immature stages of plumage. 
During the autumnal migration I repeatedly remarked that the order in which these Skuas passed southward 
was as folloAvs : — birds in the intermediate stages appeared first, folloAved a few weeks later by the full- 
plumaged adults, while the juveniles invariably brought up the rear. Though a few adults, Avhose presence has 
been duly recorded in my notes, pass early in the autumn, they do not form a tenth part of the individuals 
observed off our coasts at that season. 
* I was utterly unable to discover any derivation for this strange name. 
