284 BIEDS. 



hundreds of miles from land, and its flight is rapid and 

 sustained. I have also observed that its swooping on the 

 fry embraces a nearer approach to diving than is ventured 

 on by most gulls, the bird's head and wings being often 

 completely immersed. The name has of course reference 

 to its grating note, and is about as descriptive as most 

 other bird-names bestowed for similar reasons. The nest 

 is on rocky ledges. Eggs^ 2 or 3, 2 inches ; greenish-grey, 

 with dark blotches. 



3. The Skuas. 



The Great Skua is a large, dark bird, with powerful bill 

 and hooked claws, the name originating in its supposed 

 Common cry. I have watched, day after day, the " Jack- 

 Skua. Hurry " out on the Cornish fishing-grounds, 

 as it swooped on the gulls and made them disgorge their 

 food. The fishermen told me that when it attempted to 

 levy toll in this way on a shag, that wily bird would dive, 

 at which the skua was no match for it. There prevails on 

 parts of the coast a notion to the effect that the skua feeds 

 on the excreta of gulls, and the name of " Dung-bird " is 

 in consequence bestowed on it. There must be a large 

 number of non-breeding birds; for, in spite of the fact 

 that it breeds nowhere in these islands save in a semi- 

 protected state in the Shetlands, it is to be found every 

 summer off Cornwall, and I have met it off the Needles 

 in June. Besides making the gulls disgorge their food, it 

 feeds largely on the smaller birds themselves, notably on 

 the young of the kittiwake. The bird nests on the ground 

 on the high waste lands in the Shetlands. Eggs^ 2, 

 2i inches; greenish-brown, with very dark markings. 



The Pomatorhine Skua is an autumn and winter visitor 

 tPomator- to our east coast, less frequently to Ireland, 

 hme Skua, f^j^e lower parts are white, and the long tail- 

 feathers are twisted vertically. 



