LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 259 



This species has been incorrectly named the Arctic Jaeger, — or 

 Skua, as the birds of this group are called by British Ornitholo- 

 gists, — for it is less Arctic in its distribution than either of its rela- 

 tives. All this group breed in high latitudes; but while the other 

 species build within the Arctic Circle, the Parasitic Jaeger nests in 

 numbers in Southern Greenland and throughout the higher portions 

 of the fur countries, and nests have been found in Scotland. In 

 winter this bird is common along the coast, ranging from Long 

 Island to Brazil. 



The Jaegers are very similar in their habits. All are strong birds, 

 of swift and skilful flight, and all obtain their chief food supply by 

 robbing the Gulls of their prey. 



The Kittiwake is the victim most frequently selected by the 

 Parasitic Jaeger, and the little Gull has small chance for escape 

 from its more powerful antagonist, who pursues and attacks until 

 the coveted fish is dropped. But our bird does not limit its diet 

 to fish,— -young Gulls and eggs are quite as acceptable to the 

 Jaeger's palate, — nor does it refuse any carrion the drift may 

 offer, and in extremity will feast on crow-berries. 



LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 



BUFFON'S SKUA. 

 Stercorarius LONGICAUDUS. 



Char. Upper parts dark brownish slate, shading to darker on wings 

 and tail ; top of head sooty black ; rest of head and neck huffish yellow, 

 paler on the throat ; breast white, shading into the grayish brown of the 

 belly ; shafts of two outer primaries white ; middle tail-feathers narrow 

 and pointed, and extending four to eight inches beyond the lateral feath- 

 ers ; bill grayish black ; legs olive gray, feet black. Length about 23 

 inches. 



Young birds are grayish brown, more or less barred with white and 

 buff. Distinguished from arcticus by its rather smaller and slimmer 

 form and the greater length, usually, of the central tail-feathers, also by 

 the grayer tints of the back and the absence of white on all the primaries 

 excepting the outer two. 



Nest. In a colony on a barren moorland or tundra near the sea, or by 

 an inland lake or upon an island, — a slight hollow stamped in the turf or 

 soil and lined with a few bits of grass or leaves. 



Eggs. 1-3 (usually 2) ; pale to dark olive, sometimes reddish buff, 

 marked with brown and gray ; average size about 2.10 X \-%o. 



