WATCHING GULLS AND SKUAS loi 



round, and the other standing at its post, this one 

 will stretch itself up and raise its wings above the 

 back every time its partner passes. This raising of 

 the wings enters into one of the most salient of the 

 many nuptial antics of this bird, which I will now 

 describe. In its completest form it commences 

 aerially. " The two birds have been circle-soaring 

 one above the other, and are now at a considerable 

 height above one of their chosen standing-places, 

 when the lower one floats with the wings extended, 

 but raised very considerably — half-way, perhaps, 

 towards meeting over the back — an action which, in 

 their flight, is uncommon. As it does this it utters 

 a note like ' a-er, a-er, a-er ' (a as in ' as '), upon 

 which, as at a signal, the other one floats in the same 

 manner, and both now descend thus, together, to the 

 ground. Standing, then, the one behind the other, 

 at about a yard's distance and faced the same way, 

 both of them throw up their heads, raise their wings 

 above their backs, pointing them backwards, and 

 stand thus for some seconds fixed and motionless, 

 looking just like an heraldic device. At the same 

 time they utter a cry which sounds like ' skirrr ' 

 or ' skeerrr.' The foremost bird then flies off, and 

 is instantly followed by the other." 



If the wings were not extended, this pose would 

 somewhat resemble that of the great plovers, for 

 though the neck is stretched more forwards, it is 

 curved in the same curious way, and the head, though 

 held high, is bent towards the ground. The wings, 

 however, give it quite a different character, and I have, 

 I feel sure, seen some figures of birds on a shield 

 whose attitude bore a wonderful resemblance to that 



