richabdson''s skua. 491 



female left her nest, we observed her endeavouring to decoy 

 us away, by pretending to be lame, and tumbling about as if 

 her wing were broken ; and it was this circumstance that led 

 us to look more attentively. It is very amusing to see this 

 bird chasing the Kittiwake, which it compels to disgorge its 

 food, and before this food reaches the water or land, this 

 pirate bird catches it. This appears to be the only means of 

 subsistence with this Lcstris, as we never observed them fish- 

 ing like the rest of the Gulls." 



In Shetland this species breeds on the islands of Noss, 

 Unst, and Foula, and their various breeding-stations have 

 been visited by Mr. Drosier, Mr. Dunn, and Mr. Hewitson. 

 Here these birds seem to breed in society, from fifty to sixty 

 being met with at the same place. The eggs are usually but 

 two in number, olive-brown in colour, spotted with dark 

 brown ; the length two inches four lines, by one inch and 

 eight lines in breadth. As the young were already hatched, 

 Mr. Drosier observes, I had an opportunity of observing 

 them, several were discovered concealed in the long grass ; 

 and, although many of them were only covered with down, 

 still the blue legs and black toes were very distinct. As the 

 season advanced, some that had not lost the down off their 

 heads were of a beautiful light brownish colour, distinctly 

 barred and spotted with black ; and in others, as they ad- 

 vanced in growth, the brown colour was gradually disappear- 

 ing, until, in many specimens, only a very few brown marks 

 were discernible and the middle tail-feathers began to elon- 

 gate. 



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 



