Printed on the plate
“Skua Gull”
Lestris catarractes
Engraved caption: Lestris catarrhactes
This identification is still open; the reasoning below says what would settle it. If you can, open an issue with the evidence.
Modern identification
Stercorarius antarcticus
- Open, leaning
- Checked against the engraved caption
- Skuas and Jaegers · Stercorariidae
Why
Brown Skua or Great Skua? The figure is uniformly dark chocolate with a white primary flash and none of the Great Skua's rufous and pale streaking, and Gould wrote of Southern Ocean and Derwent birds, which he found darker. His name and synonymy are the Great Skua's and he names no specimen. The figured skin's origin would decide.
Sources
List of Plates (vol. VII); engraved caption on the leaf; Gould's text and synonymy; the plate
Who made the plate
J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith.Hullmandel & Walton Imp.
- John Gould drew and lithographed
- Henry Constantine Richter drew and lithographed
- Hullmandel & Walton printed
As the credit line gives it. More on who made these plates.