194 British Birds y 



take the trouble to fish for themselves, but, watching 

 the fishing operations of the Gull, seize their oppor- 

 tunity of assailing a successful fisher, and compel him 

 to disgorge his prey. The Common Skua has only a 

 very limited breeding-range in Britain, not being 

 known to nest out of Shetland, and to have but three 

 places for nidification there. So resolute and daring 

 are they when they have young to defend, they do 

 not scruple to attack the eagle, and a pair have been 

 known to beat the strong, proud marauder effectually 

 ofi". The Skua makes a large nest of moor-growing 

 moss, and takes some pains in its construction. It is 

 placed among the heath and moss of a hilly island. 

 The eggs are two in number, and vary much in 

 colour ; according to locality, it would almost seem. 

 Some are dusky olive-brown, others with a much 

 greener hue, and they are blotched with darker 

 brown, and a few spots of rust colour. 



POMARINE SKUA — {Stercorariiis pomatorhinus ; 

 formerly, Lestris poinari?ius). 



Merely a casual visitor, although more frequently 

 noticed of late years than before ornithology became 

 so favourite a study. 



RICHARDSON'S OR ARCTIC SKUA— (5/^rr^r- 

 ariics crepidaius ; formerly, Lestris Richardsonii). 



Arctic Gull, Black-toed Gull. — This species is the 

 most numerous of all those who visit this country. It 

 breeds in the Hebrides, in the Orkneys and in Shet- 

 land, and numerously enough in the two localities last 

 named. The female has been observed to make use 



