ARCTIC SKUA. 677 



but although Parry found it up to 82° N. lat., Major Feilden, 

 of H.M.S. ' Alert,' did not observe it in Smith Sound. 



On migration this Skua visits the coasts of Europe, 

 straggling across the Continent and into the Mediterranean, 

 and continuing along the coast of Africa as far as the Cape 

 of Good Hope, where it passes the months of our winter, 

 obtaining its living by robbing the Terns aud Gulls. It is 

 of annual occurrence in the cold season in the Gulf of Oman, 

 and along the Mekran coast, and the Editor believes that it 

 is this species of Skua which has been obtained on several 

 occasions in New Zealand by Mr. Buller. On the eastern 

 side of America it has occurred as far south as Rio de 

 Janeiro ; and on the west it is recorded from the Prybilov 

 Islands, Alaska, and both sides of Bering Sea and the North 

 Pacific down to the Kuril Islands. 



The Arctic Skua makes little or no nest, depositing its 

 eggs in a hollow of the moorland moss ; they are two in 

 number, of a greenish-olive, spotted with dark brown, and 

 measure about 2*3 by 1*6 in. In some instances the birds 

 frequent the tops of the highest hills, breeding in societies 

 of many pairs, in others they appear to prefer those unfre- 

 quented heaths which are low and marshy, but making their 

 nest upon some slight but dry eminence. Mr. Salmon says, 

 " When the female left her nest, we observed her endeavour- 

 ing to decoy us away, by pretending to be lame, and tumbling 

 about as if her wing were broken ; and it was this circum- 

 stance that led us to look more attentively." In Norway, 

 Mr. Hewitson says, these birds breed most commonly apart 

 from each other, each pair taking possession of its separate 

 island, upon the highest point of nearly all of which they are 

 constantly to be seen perched, and upon it they usually lay 

 their eggs ; sometimes, however, choosing the lower grounds. 

 Here, also, they are the persecutors of the other species of 

 sea-fowl, even to sucking their eggs whenever their owners 

 leave them uncovered. The flight of this species is rapid, 

 although somewhat angular ; and any intrusion upon the 

 breeding-ground is resented by swoops, directed from behind 

 or sideways ; for although the bird will actually strike with 



