26o THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



told me that "these elongated feathers curled in a most peculiar 

 way as the bird progressed," and were sure that it was in no 

 way due to the slight north-west breeze. 



The bird swims buoyantly, holding the neck straight ; indeed, 

 on land as well as water the skuas generally have an alert pose, 

 the neck held at right angles to the horizontal body, though 

 they are by no means nervous or shy. Piratical feeding habits 

 are common with this species, though terns and Kittiwakes and 

 not the larger gulls are most tormented ; the Long-tailed Skua 

 enjoys the chase, and will hunt small waders and even its own 

 kind for pure love of sport. Indeed, as recorded by Dr. Eagle 

 Clarke, during one invasion of this and the Pomatorhine, the 

 two were observed chasing one another and occasionally 

 nipping off the ends of the pursued bird's streamers. On the 

 wing Buffon's seems to be less noisy than other skuas, but 

 at its nesting place it is clamorous. On the tundras and fjelds 

 it subsists upon lemmings, insects, berries, and other vegetable 

 food, and here it varies its second-hand fish diet with insects, 

 crustaceans, and worms. The bird Mr. Dockray watched 

 joined with many other species in a wild orgy during a heavy 

 rise of May-flies, and Stevenson records that a bird shot in 

 Norfolk disgorged living earthworms. 



The mature bird has the upper parts of the head dark brown, 

 and the back, wings, and tail shading from dark grey to slaty 

 brown ; the rest of the plumage is whitish, purest on the neck 

 and breast, tinged with yellow on the cheeks, and with greyish 

 brown below the breast. The bill is blackish at the tip, blue 

 tinged on the cere, the legs are greyish olive, and the irides 

 dark brown. Immature birds are profusely barred with brown 

 and grey on the upper parts, but are less rufous than Arctics. 

 Length, 23 ins. Wing, 12-5 ii 



