264 THE COMMON SKUA. 



longest; legs with the lower part of the 

 naked, feet large, claws much hooked, strong, 

 hallux small. 



tfote. Breed in pairs ; pursue other sea-birds and 

 force them to quit or disgorge their prey. 



THE COMMON SKUA, LESTRIS SKUA. Larus 

 cataractes. Linn. Cataractes vulgaris, Flem. 

 Stercoraire cataracte, Temm. Skua Gull, or Com- 

 mon Skua, of British authors. The Skua is a 

 northern bird, appearing on our shores in autumn 

 and beginning of winter. Specimens have occurred 

 on the coasts of Norfolk, Essex, Kent, Sussex, De- 

 von, and Cornwall, * and we have seen them occa- 

 sionally on the Sol way Firth, on the Northumber- 

 land coasts, and far up the Firth of Forth ; these 

 seem almost its most southern range ; and it is there 

 seen now flying swiftly over the waves, now pur- 

 suing some of the weaker gulls, following them 

 about as a hawk does a small bird, and generally 

 finishing the chase when the victim has given up its 

 own prey. Shetland is, we believe, the only breed- 

 ing place known within the British limits, and 

 St. Rona's Hill has been long known as a favourite 

 station there ; it incubates in pairs, making the nest 

 among the moss and heath (not on rocks as the true 

 gulls), and during this time both sexes are very 

 fierce and courageous in defending their property, 

 driving off all animal intruders, and they are even 

 * YarrelL 



