LARIDE. 617 
Rey. Murray A. Mathew informs me that an im- 
mature specimen of the present species has been 
obtained at Weston-super-Mare, and that is the only 
instance I know of its occurrence in the county. 
This, like the rest of the Skuas, is a northern spe- 
cies, only visiting our southern counties in the 
autumn and winter, probably following the other 
birds that follow the herrings and sprats. It re- 
mains, however, to breed in the more northern parts 
of the kingdom, such as the Shetlands and Orkneys, 
where it appears to occupy very high hills and 
moors as its breeding station, scratching a hole 
amongst the heather for a nest, which it lines with 
dry grass and moss. They appear to endeavour 
to lead the searcher for eggs away from their 
nests, much in the same manner as the Peewits 
do, by pretending to be wounded and fluttering 
along the ground; but Dr. Saxby says this habit is 
not confined entirely to the breeding season. At all 
times, he says, they are fond of sitting half buried 
amongst the heather and grass, more particularly in 
rainy or foggy weather.* 
The food of this and the other Skuas appears to 
consist mostly of fish and other things which they 
can bully the Gulls and Terns into disgorging for 
them: besides this bold sort of highway robbery 
they take every opportunity that offers of stealing 
* * Zoologist’ for 1864, p. 9240. 
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