THE COMMON SKUA, ETC. 185 



liigli rock or precipice by the sea, and contains three 

 eggs, yellowish-gray in colour, marked with dark 

 brown and ash-gray spots. Mr. Malm, an eminent 

 Swedish naturalist, says that this species breeds on 

 Keno, an island in Bast Finmark, in company with 

 many thousands of other seafowl. 



The "Lestrinas" are only common, in summer, in 

 the north of Norway. They come south in autumn, 

 and are then seen in the south and south-west. 



The following is Pontoppidan's description of the 

 skua : ff Skue er of skabniny ncesten som en stor 

 maage, og Jculsort som en ravn" that is, " The skua is 

 in form nearly like a large gull, and coal-black like a 

 raven." The severe climate of the north has no effect 

 on these birds. 



The common skua (Lestris catarractes) . This species 

 is common enough on the northern coasts of Norway. 

 A straggling bird is occasionally seen near Bergen, 

 but no further south. 



Pontoppidan gives it the character of being very 

 courageous in defence of its young, " When any per- 

 son approaches its nest, the skua is not ashamed to 

 assail him, and strikes hard with its wings ; wherefore, 

 one must sometimes use one's knife to defend oneself, 

 against which they fly and kill themselves." 



It attacks and kills young gulls, and the young of 

 other seafowl. It breeds in flocks, and lays two 

 eggs, yellowish-green in colour, marked with large 

 and small brown and gray spots. 



The pomarine skua (L. pomarinus). Common in 

 the same localities as the preceding. It is often seen 

 in the neighbourhood of the North Cape. It is called 

 here the bredstjerted-jo, or broad-tailed jo. 



