NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 19 



34. Alle alle (LINN.) [752.] 



Dovekie. 



Hab. Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic and Eastern Arctic Ocean; in North America, south 

 in winter to New Jersey; breeds in high northern latitudes. 



The little Ice-bird of the fishermen and the Sea Dove of ornithol- 

 ogists. Its entire life is spent on the open sea, rarely visiting land ex- 

 cept during the breeding season or when driven thence by severe 

 storms. It breeds in the Arctic regions of America and Europe, the 

 islands of the Arctic Ocean, and in the northwestern portion of Asia. 

 The head and bill of this bird are formed almost exactly like that of a 

 quail. It is very abundant at its breeding grounds in the far north, 

 and is one of the most boreal of birds ; nesting chiefly on islands, or 

 always in places near the sea, depositing its single pale, greenish-blue 

 egg in the crevices of rocky cliffs. The eggs measure from 1.80 to 

 1.90 in length by 1.25 to 1.30 in breadth. 



35. Megalestris skua (BRUNN.) [696.] 



Skua. 



Hab. Coasts and islands of the North Atlantic. South to Spain and Massachusetts. Rare on the 

 coast of North America. 



The Skua Gull may well be called the feathered pirate of the seas. 

 It does not congregate in flocks ; two or more pairs are seldom seen 

 together. It is noted for its courage and daring, attacking and harass- 

 ing gulls, forcing them to disgorge the fish which they have swal- 

 lowed. In the Island of Unst, the most northern one of the Shetland 

 group, it has been found breeding. The bird was given a place in the 

 fauna of North America on the ground of its occurrence in Greenland, 

 where its eggs are said to have been taken. The nest is simply a shal- 

 low cavity in the long grass, lined with grass stems. The eggs are two 

 or three in number, with an olive-green or drab ground-color, marked 

 by irregular dark olive-brown and chocolate-colored blotches ; they 

 measure from 2.75 to 3.00 in length, by 1.50 to 2.00 in breadth. 



36. Stercorarius pomarinus (TEMM.) [697.] 



Pomarine Jaeger. 



Hab. Seas and inland waters of northern portions of Northern Hemisphere, south to Africa and 

 Australia, and probably South America. Not known to occur in winter on the Atlantic coast of North 

 America north of Long Island. 



Another of the falcon-like sea fowls, commonly called the Gull 

 Hunter by the fishermen. Resident throughout the summer in high 

 northern regions, chiefly within the Arctic Circle. In winter it is a 

 great wanderer, and is known to occur on the Great Lakes, and as far 

 as the above habitat indicates. The bird is said to live chiefly by plun- 

 dering the Kittiwake Gull; but will attack other species, even the 



