THE GREAT AND ARCTIC-SKUAS 209 



were nesting in the neighbourhood. A mallard was struck on the 

 back when in flight and forced to alight, and a pintail just escaped 

 an equally violent blow by diving into the loch over which it happened 

 to be peaceably winging its way. Whether the blow given to the 

 mallard, " with a thud distinctly audible," was with the wing, feet, or 

 beak is not stated. Both ducks had no doubt to suffer these assaults 

 frequently during the breeding season. 1 



Human beings trespassing on the breeding-grounds of either 

 species are attacked, sometimes with a vigour that makes the experi- 

 ence by no means enjoyable. Indeed, the mere sight of a great-skua 

 charging straight over the heather with evil aspect and fierce speed, 

 as if to hurl itself, beak and claws, upon one's body, is enough to cause 

 a shrinking of the nerves. One's apprehension is not allayed when, at 

 a distance of a few yards, the powerful webbed feet are suddenly let 

 down and spread so that each separate hooked claw stands menacingly 

 out. But the menace is not fulfilled. With a sudden swerve up- 

 wards, and a terrific swish of the wings, the bird passes overhead, 

 leaving one no doubt somewhat shaken, and not a little relieved, but 

 also marvelling that so fierce a beginning should have so mild an end. 

 One does not escape always thus easily, for some individuals are bolder 

 than others, and more so at one time than at another, but even then 

 it is not a blow from the wing, or a thrust from the beak, that one 

 receives, but a smart tap from the feet, which the bird lets down for 

 that purpose. These taps, delivered seemingly with the front of the 

 feet, 2 are, especially when repeated, quite unpleasant enough. Both 

 the male and the female attack, one after the other, sometimes swoop- 

 ing down from a height, at other times charging over the ground. 

 Together they may make, according to Mr. Selous, as many as 136 

 attacks in little more than a quarter of an hour, or about 8 to the 

 minute. Between 3.13 and 3.30 one afternoon, he was struck 67 and 

 missed 69 times by one and the same pair. He states that some of 

 the hits were so violent that, without the protection of a plaid, they 



1 Ornithologist, 1896-7, 175. * E. Selous, Bird Watching, p. 123. 



