TEMMINCK'S SKUA 183 



The c^eneral colour of the great skua is dark umbcr-brovvn mottled 

 with rufous above, and simply rufous brown beneath ; the primary- 

 quills having white bases which form a conspicuous patch on the 

 extended wing ; the beak and feet are black, and the eye is hazel. 

 A slight superiority in size alone distinguishes the hens. Young birds 

 are very like the adults, but have black spots on the upper- parts. The 

 chick is uniformly huffish grey. 



It may be mentioned in this place that according to recent 

 researches the proper name of the present species is Stercorarius 

 parasiticus, while the bird referred to below under the latter name 

 should be known as St. longicaudus ; but it seems a pity to disturb 

 designations which have been so long in use. 



The habits of the great skua are those of the group in general, as 

 recorded above. On their nesting-grounds these birds display great 

 boldness, assuming indeed the aggressive of themselves, and thus 

 revealing the position of their nests to the intruder. They go about 

 in pairs, and as the nest of one pair is situated at some distance from 

 that of the next, the visitor is subjected to a continued succession of 

 fierce and unprovoked attacks, which may prove dangerous. So bold 

 and fierce indeed is this bird that it will drive away the lordly sea-eagle, 

 while no raven dare show its beak anywhere near the breeding-grounds. 

 On this account the skua is much esteemed by the Shetlanders. 

 Unlike its smaller relatives, the great skua on some occasions takes to 

 killing and eating kittiwakes and herring-gulls instead of being content 

 with merely despoiling them of their prey. As an instance of their 

 boldness and the impetuosity of their attack, it may be mentioned that 

 in at least one case a great skua in the Faroes has been known to 

 impale itself on a knife held vertically above the head of an islander 

 upon whom it had swooped. The eggs, of which there is generally a 

 pair, but occasionally only one, measure between 2^ and 3 inches in 

 length, and are laid during May or June in a hollow of the moorland 

 moss, sometimes sparingly lined with grass. Dark chocolate or olive- 

 brown is the ground-colour of the eggs, upon which are faintly shown 

 inconspicuous reddish-brown, or, more rarely, blackish spots. 



Temminek's Skua ^'°^ ^^ ^'^^^ representative of the smaller or long- 



(Stereorarius tailed skuas the writer has ventured to propose the 



pomatorhinus) "^me of Temminek's skua (after its first describer), 



to replace the absurd title of pomarhine or pomato- 



rhine skua by which it is commonly known. Although much smaller 



than the great skua, measuring only 2 1 inches in length, this species 



