276 THE BIRDS OF SUSSEX. 



almost suffering itself to be taken by the hand ; this also 

 is in ray collection. A third was caught off Brighton in 

 November 1851 ; on February 5th^ 1880, 1 saw one flying 

 off Brighton, so near the shore that I could see the white 

 bar on the wing ; and on the 7th, a bird, probably the 

 same, was shown me at Mr. Pratt^s. It was in good 

 condition, though most of those taken on our coast have 

 been in a somewhat emaciated state. Mr. Knox (O. B. 

 p. 259) states, without further date, that one was caught 

 on the beach at Brighton in November while eating a 

 dead cat, from which it was with difficulty separated; he 

 also mentions another, killed at Worthing, and my bird 

 of 1830. 



The Great Skua watches the Gulls feeding, and when one 

 has taken a fish, immediately gives chase, till the persecuted 

 bird is obliged to drop — or if swallowed to disgorge — its 

 prey, and the Skua picks it up before it reaches the water. 

 It feeds also on the blubber of whales and seals, and on 

 flesh and carrion of every kind, which its powerful beak and 

 sharp hooked claws are well adapted for tearing in pieces. 

 The only British breeding-places are in the Shetland Isles. 

 The nest is stated in Yarrell (B. B. vol. iii. p. 665) to be a 

 neatly rounded cavity in the moss or heather of the highest 

 moorlands. It is a very courageous bird, and in defence of 

 its nest or young will attack man or beast. 



Mr. Jeffery {' Zoologist,-" p. 811, s.s.) records that on 

 February 6th, 1867, one was caught alive, which had lost 

 an eye in conflict with another bird, and was purchased 

 for the Chichester Museum. 



