390 
LAHIM. 
THE SKUA. 
Lestris catarrhactes, Linn, (sp.) 
Stercorarius ,, „ ,, 
Lams „ „ 
Is rarely obtained on the Irish coast. 
The first specimen which came under my observation was in the 
collection of Mr. Massey, Pigeon-house Port, Dublin, and was 
shot by that gentleman in the adjacent bay early in the month of 
July 1833, where he had previously killed one or two others. I 
have seen one from Portmarnock, Dublin coast, in the collection 
of Dr. Earran, by whom it was found in November 1836, lying 
dead on the shore in a state of emaciation, but in good plumage. 
Since that time, the species has been observed there, and in the 
Bay of Drogheda (August, & c., 1844).* A skua shot by James 
Martin, Esq., in the county Galway, early in the year 1835, and 
sent to the metropolis to be preserved, passed eventually into the 
Museum of Trinity College. A Lestris, particularly described to 
me in a letter from Mr. Poole, as seen very near to him in Wex- 
ford Harbour, at the end of July 1848, must have been of this 
species. 
Powlers who have frequently observed skuas of different kinds, 
describe one the size of a herring-gull, and in other respects 
agreeing with the bird now under consideration, as having been 
frequently seen by them in the autumn chasing gulls about 
Holywood bank, Belfast Bay : from the observant powers of my 
informants, I have no doubt that the bird they saw was the Lestris 
catarrhactes. 
Subsequently to the preceding note being made — early in 
August 1848 — two of these skuas were killed at a shot on Ballyma- 
carrett bank. A fine specimen, obtained near Holywood on the 18th 
of' September that year, came under my examination; and on the 
22nd, three were seen in company near ThomsoiTs Embankment, 
* Mr. R. J. Montgomery. 
