102 
later, was a perfectly adult bird (white-breasted form, but minus 
the luiddle tail-feathers), shot at Wareham, near Lynn, so early as 
the 20th of August. 
By far the most important and most interesting description, 
however, of this Skua invasion I have yet seen is that published 
by hh'. T. H. Nelson, of Bedcar, in Yorkshire, in the ‘ Field’ and 
‘ Zoologist.’ * This correspondent speaks of Eichardson’s Skuas 
as being “more than usually abundant” on that part of the north- 
east coast during the month of September, when some forty or 
fifty were shot to his knowledge, which may account, from their 
earlier date of migration, for the few Eichardsoii’s Skuas observed 
in October on this coast amongst the Pomatorhines. As to that 
species ]\Ir. Nelson remarks that, one adult and two immature 
birds, shot by himself eut at sea on the 6th of October, were the 
first he had seen or heard of, and on the 13th another adult and an 
immature specimen were obtained on the Tees, but he further 
states that, “ On the 14th a gale, accompanied by heavy rain, came 
away from the north-east, and during the early part of the afternoon 
the Pomatorhine Skuas commenced to pass in small flocks of sev'cn 
or eight. They came from eastward and also from the seaward, 
and their numbers increased toAvards the middle of the afternoon, 
until by dusk tliere must have been several hundreds — I am 
certain my statement will be borne out if I say thousands— gone 
past. I cannot exactly say how many Avere killed, but I myself 
had twenty-three, sixteen adult birds, through my hands ; a 
taxidermist at Marsket had twenty-five ; at Middlesborough about 
a dozen, besides many more of Avhich I knoAV nothing. Then 
several local gunners shot betAveen ten and tAventy each, and a 
great many were simply plucked by those Avho obtained them, 
they not being able to dispose of them. I am sure I am far under 
the mark if I say that one liundred and fifty Avere killed in this 
neighbourhood. These birds Avere remarkably tame, and fearless 
* ‘Field,’ November 1st, 1879. ‘ Zoologist,’ January, 1880, p. 18. 
t Probably the same birdstuffer Avho, Avriting to Mr. J. II. Gurney, jun., 
under date of November 6tli, 1879, from “ Marske near the Sea,” says : 
“ I hear on the day of the storm tAvelve Buffon’s Skuas aa-cic sliot, two 
Storm Petrels, and four Fulmars, and the Pomatorhine Skuas Avere 
uncountable.” 
