[13] SEA BIRDS AS BAIT FOR CATCHING CODFISH. 323 



It may be added here that Capt. Henry O. Smith, of Salem, Mass., tells 

 me that the fulmar frequeutly occurs in considerable abundance in winter 

 in Fortune Bay, Newfoundland, and he also says that on one occasion 

 he killed one of these birds in that region, which had a half-swallowed 

 herring in its beak, the fish being too large for the noddy to get down. 



The J^gers (Stercorariidce.) 



The great skua gull [Megalestris skua). 



This is known to the fishermen as the sea-hen, and is, perhaps, one 

 of the most interesting species that occurs on the fishing-banks, owing 

 to its comparative scarcity in natural history collections. It is by no 

 means abundant on any of the fishing-grounds, but is, nevertheless, to 

 be met with occasionally all the way from George's to the Grand Banks, 

 at least, and, doubtless, has a much wider distribution. I have observed 

 it from Nantucket Shoals to the eastern side of the Grand Banks. It 

 is difficult to say when and where it occurs in the greatest abundance ; 

 but, so far as I am able to judge, I should say that it is most plentiful 

 on the Grand Banks in July, August, and September. In the summer 

 and autumn of 1874 1 shot several specimens of this species which were 

 used for bait, and I have also obtained it for a similar purpose on other 

 occasions though it could rarely be taken by hook and line. I remem- 

 ber that it was more plentiful in 1874 than I have ever noticed it at any 

 other time. 



In this connection an incident may be mentioned which occurred that 

 year, that shows in a remarkable manner the tenacity of life which this 

 bird sometimes exhibits. I was out a short distance from the vessel 

 in a dory for the purpose of shooting birds for bait. We were then 

 engaged in shack-fishing, and it was necessary to obtain as much 

 material as possible with which to bait our hooks. Among other 

 birds flying around were several skua gulls, which, on account of their 

 large size were more desirable than the smaller species. Having en- 

 ticed one of them within gunshot, I fired at it, and knowing that I had 

 taken good aim, I was very much astonished to see it fly away appar- 

 ently uninjured. I watched it, however, and soon noticed that it did 

 not move its wings, but seemed to have them fixed or rigid, and after 

 going about half or three-quarters of a mile it fell into the water. I 

 went in pursuit of it and without any trouble found it, lifeless on the 

 surface. The most singular part of my narrative is that when the bird 

 was cut up for bait by one of the crew, a single shot was found in the 

 center of its heart. 



These birds usually appear singly, in pairs, or at times three of them 

 may bo seen together, and it is very rarely that half a dozen or more 

 are seen at the same time. They are very shy, and seem to avoid a 

 vessel, but when exceedingly hungry they show less reluctance in ap- 



