267 
RICHARDSON’S SKUA. 
Lestris Richardsmii. 
PLATE XXVIII. 
This species has been evidently considered by many 
anthors as the true parasitic or arctic gull, and it has 
been described as L. pai'asiticus and crepidalus. It 
is certainly the most common of the British Skuas, 
but is a larger and much more strongly formed bird 
than the next. Late in autumn, when the young and 
old birds have left their breeding stations and scatter 
themselves about, this species is not uncommon in the 
Firth of Forth, and may be seen pursuing its course 
like the two preceding, distinguished (as they all are) 
at once by its swifter flight and darker plumage. We 
have procured many specimens there in various states 
of plumage, and have once or twice shot both the 
adult and young. At a similar season we believe 
it is generally to bo seen around our islands, and 
Mr. Yarrell has given a few instances of speci- 
mens being obtained southward ; but to judge from 
his statistics, it would appear to be scarcely so 
frequent there as the last. Its breeding stations 
are various islands in the Hebrides, Orkney and 
Shetland, where it is more diffused and more abun- 
