TIIK BIRD BOOK 



:>:'). Skta. Megalc.siris skua. 



Range. — Coasts and islands of the North At- 

 hintic, chiefly on the European side; rare on the 

 Atlantic coast of North America. 



Skuas are large (22 inches in length) and very 

 powerfully built birds, having the general form 

 of a Gull. Their whole plumage is a dingy brown- 

 ish black color, palest below. Breeds in Iceland 

 and possibly on some of the islands in Hudson 

 Strait. The nest is a hollow on the ground in 



Skua 

 Pomarine Jseger 



Olive brown 



the marsh grass and is lined with grass. The 

 """-j two eggs which they lay have an olive greenish 

 ground, spotted with dark brown. Size 2.75 x 1.90. 



.'.'(). Pomarine Jaeger. Sicrcorarius pomarinas. 



Range. — Northern Hemisphere, breeding within the Arctic Circle, more 

 commonly in the Old World. 



In the breeding plumage, this 



Jaeger has the crown and face 



blac'kish; back and sides of head, 



throat and under parts pure white, 



^ except the pointed stiffened feath- 



{'^ ers of the neck which are yellow. 



.' -^ \- Back, wings and tail blackish, the 

 latter with the two middle feath- 

 ers lengthened about four inches 

 beyond the rest of the tail, and 

 broad to the tips, whicli are twist- 

 ed so tliat the feathers are verti- 

 cal. They breed throughout the 

 Arctic regions, but not as common- 

 ly in America as the following 

 species. Tlie nest is on the ground 

 in the marsh grass and is made of 



grass and moss. They lay two and rarely three eggs of an olive brown or 

 greenish color. These are spotted with ])rown and black. Size 2.20 x 1.70. 



36 



Deep olive brow^n 



