The Arctic Skua and its Nesting 



wary were they that I did not once see a bird rise from 

 her eggs, and, acting on the keeper's advice, we both took 

 up our positions on a small hill overlooking the nesting- 

 ground, and waited there for the colony to return to their 

 eggs. I do not ever remember a hotter day, and the "cleg" 

 flies, which had been troublesome even while we walked, 

 became infinitely more so as we remained stationary. It 

 is one of the drawbacks of the kilt that any biting insect 

 finds an excellent field for its labours in the vicinity of one's 

 knees, and it must be confessed that the Highlander is 

 on such occasions at a distinct disadvantage to the 

 Sassenach. 



Although such light sitters, the skuas soon returned to 

 their nests, apparently ignoring our presence, and settled 

 down to brood. The colony was of no very great extent, 

 and I should doubt if there were more than two dozen 

 pairs at the outside, probably fewer. Immediately we stood 

 up, every bird rose from her nest, but one I marked 

 down, and after a good deal of searching discovered her 

 secret. The nest, if such it could be called, was a slight 

 depression scraped amongst the heather and grasses, and 

 contained one dark egg, of much the colour of the egg of 

 the black-headed gull, only larger. During the time I was 

 photographing it the birds did not come near, and in order 

 to find a second nest we had again to retire to the hill- 

 top and watch once more. The second nest we found, 

 contained two eggs, of lighter colour than the one first dis- 

 covered. For a while we stayed at the nesting-ground, 

 watching the skuas in their fine powerful flight as they 

 sailed and wheeled high overhead, their forked tails render- 

 ing them conspicuous from the gulls, even apart from their 

 cries and flight. 



As we sat there, at first no craft of any kind showed 

 on the sea, but at length from out the shadows of Mull a 

 small herring drifter could be seen through the glass, 

 making for the island. Very slowly she neared us, and 



27 



