Dr Fleming on the Arctic and Skua Gutts. Ifl'S 
plumage is dark-brown, each feather slightly edged and tipped 
with ferruginous. The greater wing coverts, and the first and 
•secondary quills are dusky, and more distinctly tipped with 
■rusty spots. The tail consists of twelve feathers ; the two 
•middle ones longer than the rest ; it is of the same colour as the 
quills, except at the concealed part of its root, which is white. 
The legs are slender, and of a lead colour ; the thighs and part 
of the joint, and the toes, black ; the webs are of the same co- 
lour, excepting a small space between the first joints of the toes, 
which is white.” 
The late Mr Montagu, in his Supplement to his Ornithologi- 
cal Dictionary, gives the following description of anotiier variety. 
It has the sides of the head, neck, and throat, buff-coloured ; 
4;he breast white, shaded into a grey and becoming dark slate-colour, 
■on the belly .and parts beneath ; the upper parts of the body are also 
dark slate; the wings and tail black ; the legs are yellowish; the 
knees and the feet, as high as the back toe, black. The .sex could 
not be determined, but the two middle feathers of the tail are of 
their full length,” 
According to Pennant, tlie sexes may be readily distinguished 
by the plumage, the male being white on the under side, while 
the female is of a light brown. These marks, however, are not 
to be depended upon, as we have frequently found those with the 
belly white to be females, while those with dark-coloured bellies 
were males. The late Mr Simonds, in the Linnean Transactions, 
vol. viii. p. 267, in reference to those which he found plenti- 
fully on the Isle of Glass, says, “ Several varieties were ex- 
amined, and confirmed the remark that there is no external mark 
of distinction between the sexes.” We are disposed to coincide 
with this opinion, and to consider the white colour of the fea- 
thers on the belly as a mark of age. 
Edwards is the first British writer who takes any notice of 
this species. Linnaeus quotes the Coprotheres or Strundt-jager 
of Bay (Synopsis Avium, p. 127) as synonymous. But, as 
Bay places his bird among those gulls which are destitute of a 
back toe, it is obvious that, in quoting from Marten, he was 
himself' ignorant of the species. The Cepphus of Aldrovan- 
dus is usually considered by British writers as similar to the 
varieties which have been noticed under the name of Black- 
toed Grills ; but the description given by that author is too ira- 
