COMMON SKUA. 623 



Europe, even in winter, than the line of our southern shore. 

 The Common Skua, however, has a much wider range?' 

 and, besides inhabiting Nova Zembla, Spitzbergen, Green- 

 land, and Iceland, has been found in the southern hemis- 

 phere, in the Straits of Magellan, and at the Falkland 

 Isles, where in a fine harbour on the north-west coast 

 these birds long since obtained the name of Port Egmont 

 Hens. 



The Skua is included by M. Nilsson in his Birds of Scan- 

 dinavia ; and it is known to inhabit the Faroe Islands. 

 Its breeding-stations with us are probably confined to 

 Shetland. Mr. Dunn mentions three, namely, " Foula, 

 Rona's Hill, and the Isle of Unst. In the latter place it is 

 by no means numerous, and is strictly preserved by the 

 landlords on whose property it may have settled, from 

 a supposition that it will defend their flocks from the 

 attacks of the Eagle. That it will attack the Eagle if he 

 approaches their nests, is a fact I have witnessed ; I once 

 saw a pair completely beat off a large Eagle from their 

 breeding-place on Rona's Hill. The flight of the Com- 

 mon Skua is more rapid and stronger than that of any 

 other Gull. It is a great favourite with the fishermen, 

 frequently accompanying their boats to the fishing-ground, 

 which they consider a lucky omen, and in return for its 

 attendance they give it the refuse of the fish which are 

 caught. The Common Skua does not associate in groups, 

 and it is seldom that more than a pair are seen together." 

 The female lays two and sometimes three eggs, which 

 are olive brown, blotched with darker brown ; the length 

 is two inches nine lines, and two inches in breadth. 



From the north these birds in autumn come down the line 

 of our eastern shore, and specimens have been obtained on the 

 coast of Northumberland, Durham, Norfolk, Essex, Kent, 

 Sussex, Dorset, and Devon. Several were exhibited for sale 



