314 WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



and piratical birds, like weathered mariners, are seen to 

 levy their contributions upon the inhabitants of the deep, 

 soaring on high above the mountain wave, and flying out 

 in easy circling tours like so many boding Ravens, occa- 

 sionally reconnoitering at a distance the sailing vessel that 

 accidentally ventures across their wide and desolate domain. 

 In the southern hemisphere, bold and predaceous by priva- 

 tion, the Skua Jager is frequently seen to attack the gigan- 

 tic Albatross, beating it with violence while on the wing, and 

 who generally escapes from the daring free-booter alone by 

 settling down into the water. Still the Jager himself suc- 

 cumbs to the rage and violence of the elements, and at the 

 approach, or during the continuance of the tempest, he con- 

 descends to seek out the shelter of the bay or the neighbor- 

 ing coast. They are also not unfrequently associated with 

 the Common Tern, and have a somewhat similar cry. 



The Skua, like the larger Gulls, commonly feeds on fish 

 and mollusca, as well as on carrion and cetaceous animals, 

 and seeking out the nests of other marine birds, he robs 

 them frequently of their eggs. They nest themselves in the 

 remote and cold regions, associating in large bands, on the 

 summits of mountains, or in the herbage and heath con- 

 tiguous to the coast. They lay 3 or 4 very pointed olivace- 

 ous eggs, sprinkled with large brown spots. 



The length of the Cataract is about 2 feet or under ; the alar 

 stretch 4^ feet. Head and region of the eyes dark brown. Neck 

 and all the lower parts reddish-grey, tinged with pale brown. Back 

 and scapulars dull rufous, the lateral borders of the feathers dark 

 brown. Wing coverts, secondaries, and tail feathers brown. Quills 

 white for half their length, the remaining part dark brown ; shafts of 

 the quills and of the tail feathers white. Feet, nails, and bill deep 

 black, the latter brown at its base. Iris brown. The long tail 

 feathers extend to 3, 4, or 5 inches. 



