NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 
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C. skua, which is the true catarrhactes. But here he is anticipated by 
Moehring, who had previously applied the name Cataractes * to a genus of 
Guillemots, of which Uria troile is the type. This genus has been adopted 
for the latter birds, by Cassin, Bryant, and others ; and, unless we admit the 
different spellings of the same word as distinct genera, which would seem 
quite unwarrantable, Briinnich’s name must be superseded. 
Lestris of Illiger (1811) being based upon the parasitica, I am aware of no 
other genera than the above, which were founded on the Larus catarrhactes 
down to 1856, when Bonaparte, in his Conspectus, proposed the name 
Megalestris. The choice then lies between Moehring’s Buphagus and Bona- 
parte’s Megalestris ; and of the two, I prefer to take the former, especially as 
by so doing we shall be enabled to retain Stercorarius of Brisson for the other 
species of the subfamily. 
Regarding the adoption of the specific name skua, I will merely remark that 
as Briinnich was as strict a binomalist as Linnseus himself, there is no reason 
why his specific names should not be employed in all cases when they are 
identifiable. The date of Briinnich’s “s&wa” is 1764; that of Linnaeus’ 
“ catarractes ” is 1766. 
It is a little surprising that Brisson, after instituting the genus Stercorarius 
for the Jagers, should be so far at fault regarding the proper affinities of the 
present species as to place it among the Gulls, under the name of Larus fuscus. 
His descriptions of all the Jagers are remarkably accurate, and so full and 
complete as to admit of the positive identification of all his names. In this 
case, and in numberless other instances, there is cause for exceeding regret 
that he was a polynomalist ; for, had he been a strict binomalist, so that we 
could adopt his specific names, we should be saved a vast deal of uncertainty 
and profitless discussion as to the proper specific appellations to be employed. 
The Larus keeask of Latham is certainly the present species. That author 
gives 22 inches as the total length, and 3 inches as the length of the bill, — 
dimensions which will apply to no species of Stercorarius; and there is no 
other Buphagus than the present inhabiting the northern hemisphere. His 
bird “habitat in America ad sinum Hudsonis.” 
The plate which Vieillot gives in his Galerie des Oiseaux, (1S$4) of his 
Stercorarius pomarinus, represents undoubtedly the present species ; and is, so 
far as I am aware, the only instance of the application of the name pomarinus 
to any other species than that to which it rightfully belongs. This error seems 
the more surprising, since Vieillot, in 1817 and in 1828 (vide synoa.), gives 
the species as Stercorarius catarrhactes. 
The other synonyms of the species do not require special notice. I have 
endeavored to preserve the various spellings of the word catarrhactes by the 
different authors cited. I quote Catarractes fusca Leach, and vulgaris Fleming, 
and Lestris skua Brehm, on the authority of Bonaparte. 
2. Buphagus antarcticus Coues ex Lesson. 
Lestris catarractes, Quoy et Gaimard, Voy. Uranie, Ois. p. 38. Nec auct. 
Lestris antarcticus, Lesson, Traite d’Orn. 1831, p. 606. 
Stercorarius antarcticus, Bonaparte, Consp. Av. 1856, p. 207. 
Diag. — B. Buph. skuce similis ; sed rostro crassiore et breviore. 
Habitat. — Antarctic Ocean. 
* This word affords a good illustration of the very various cacography we often find in the 
names of the old authors. Thus, we have cataracta , cataractes, catliaracta, catarracta, catarractes , 
catarrhactes, &c. The orthography of the word will be evident if we regard its etymology. It is 
from kutu, and ^nyvvpi, whence K'/.ruppUKhsc, “a robber or despoiler;” the latinization of 
whichis catarrhactes, — the ftbeingderived from the rough aspirate over the second p. Briinnich's 
spelling of the word might perhaps lead us to suppose it derived from Ka.Qu.ipa>, “ to cleanse or 
purify but this isevidently not the ease, — the latinization of the word formed from the latter 
root giving us cathartes, Illiger’s genus of American vultures. 
1863.] 
