thp: great skua 193 



largely for food upon the Gulls, which it pursues 

 unmercifully, and with great fierceness compels 

 to drop or even to disgorge the fish they have 

 caught. The Gulls dread the Skua almost as 

 much as they fear the Peregrine ; it follows them 

 in their quest for food often for long distances 

 from land, and by its greater powers of flight is 

 able to chase and rob them at will. To a great 

 extent this Skua is solitary in its habits, except 

 during the breeding season, and even then it 

 keeps much in pairs, although assembled in con- 

 siderable numbers, as Saxby long ago remarked. 

 The usual note of the Great Skua is an oft- 

 repeated ag, ag ; but under the excitement of 

 chasing Gulls it utters a loud note, which has 

 been likened to the word skua or skui — hence 

 the bird's name. The food of this species consists 

 largely of fish stolen from the Gulls; the bird 

 will also catch them for itself. Wounded or 

 weakly birds, especially the nestlings of other 

 sea birds, of!al from the fishing-boats, and even 

 carrion on the beach, are also devoured. 



By the end of April the Skuas that breed within 

 our area begin to assemble at the old accustomed 

 haunts, which are wild moorlands at no great 

 distance from the sea. Numbers of nosts an; 



