324 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [14] 



proacUiiig a boat. It is a rare occurrence to catch them with hook aud 

 liue, owing to their timidity in approaching a vessel or boat, as well as 

 to their ijrccaution in swallowing the liver used as a bait ; hence few 

 are caught in this manner, and the bait is taken by some other less 

 cautious and more active birds. It is generally not dilhcult, however, 

 to attract them within gunshot of a boat, and during a gale they do not 

 hesitate to seek food near vessels lying at anchor. Their flight, like 

 that of other large gulls, is heavy and moderate; but I have seen them 

 make swift dashes of flight when chasing smaller birds which had se- 

 cured pieces of liver. 



The following extracts from my journal may give an idea of the abund- 

 ance of these birds as well as the seasons at which they occur on many 

 of the tishing-grounds. It is my opinion, however, as previously stated, 

 that they are more common on the Grand Banks than on any other fish- 

 ing-grounds where I have noticed their presence, but since I began to 

 keep notes of birds I have not visited the Grand Banks in the months 

 when the skua is most likely to be seen there. The size of this species 

 and the peculiar markings of its plumage renders it easy enough to 

 distinguish it from any other bird found on the fishing-grounds ; none 

 could be mistaken for it unless it might be some of the jfegers, aud 

 such a mistake could only be made by one who took little notice of the 

 flight or size of the birds which came under his observation. 



November 27, 1878. Latitude 42° 49' N., longitude 62° 55' W. Two 

 skua gulls — sea-hens — came near the vessel. My gun-caps are damp 

 and useless, therefore I could not get these birds, as they are shy and 

 will not bite at a hook unless extremely hungry. 



February 3, 1 879. Latitude 44° 25' K., longitude 52© 58' W. Western 

 part of Grand Banks — during a northwest gale saw a sea-hen which 

 came near the vessel, but the wiud blew too heavy to catch it on a liue, 

 and it was of no use to shoot it as it was impossible to pick it up. 



June 2, 1879. Latitude 44° 3G' N., longitude 57° 12' W. Saw a sea- 

 hen (great skua) fly across our vessel's stern but it did not approach 

 close enough for me to shoot it. 



July 5, 1879. Latitude 44° 08' N., longitude 59° 10' W. Had a shot 

 at a sea-hen which came near the vessel, but the sea was so rough from 

 a recent gale that my aim was destroyed by the schooner rolling, there- 

 fore I failed to kill the bird. 



October 11 , 1883. While on a cruise in the U. S. Fish Commission steam- 

 ship Albatross, and when the ship was just abreast of the Fishing liip, 

 Nantucket Shoals, steaming northwardly, a pair of great skuas passed 

 across the vessel's bow, about 200 yards off, flying southwestwardly. 



Gull-chasers (Genus Stercorarius). 



There are several varieties of jsegers, of the genus Stercorarius that 

 frequent the fishing-banks, and which are known to the fishermen by 



