Ill 
Of a dark form in Ijiilfon’s Skua (and sucli lias, I believe, been 
met witli) Mr. Saunders says notliing, but he significantly remarks 
oi Kicliardson’s species : “ All the siiecimens brouglit home from the 
far north are ■\vliite-breasted, Avhicli looks as if the dark wirs com. 
2'aratively a more southern form.” How does this, then, affect the 
Great Skua (still found breeding in the Shetland Islands), of 
^\hich, at present, wo seem to know of but one inelanistic 
specimen ; or the fact, so recently ascertained, tliat the far northern 
1 omatorhino has its nielanisms, though comparatively few in 
number ? 
There is one peculiarity, however, in the plumage of the adult 
Pomatorhino, a species, which, at any ago i.s, I think, very distinc- 
tive (in this respect differing much from Pichardson’s and Puffon’s 
species) which had not been recognised, as far as I know, by 
authors until I’rofessor Newton drew attention to it in his remarks 
‘ Proceedings of the 
“On some new or rare birds’ eggs,” in the 
Zoological Society’ for 18G1 (p. 402), in which, acknowledging 
his indebtedness to Dr. Paldamus for an egg of this Skua, he says”: 
“It is perhaps worthy of remark that, in the full-plumaged 
I’omatorhino Skua the middle tail-feathers have a h ind of Iwlat in 
their shafts, which brings the lower surfiices to meet together 
towards their extremities in a vertical direction ; and this peculi- 
arity gives the bird, when on the wing, a very singular appear- 
ance.” This peculiarity in the tail-feathers of the Pomatorhino 
is shown in tiio foremost figure in IMr. Gould’s illustration (‘ Birds 
of Great Britain’), in which that author also quotes further notes 
by ]Mr. Newton on this peculiarity of iilumage, and the habits of 
the species, as observed subsequently, in Iceland, between Bear 
Island and the coast of Norway, and in the South of England at 
Torbay. 
But once, certainly, in a lifetime can one look for the chance of 
inspecting and comparing thirty-five specimens of the Pomatorhino 
* i\Ir. II. M. Upclier, of Slieringliam, informs me tliat when watc]iin<r 
tlie actions of a Pomatorlune last autumn, as it Hew up and down, a field in 
that neighbourhood, he not only remarked the peculiar character of the 
central tail-feathers, but, as the bird swept past him, the rest of the tail- 
feathers seemed detlected on either side, like a “pent” roof. Can this be 
intended to accelerate .speed when chasing and swooping down uiion the 
ordinary Gulls i 
