POMERINE SKUA. 627 



two, which are found to be young birds of the year, make 

 their appearance almost every winter on some of the lake 

 of Switzerland. 



In its habits it resembles the Common Skua, and the 

 other species of the genus, preferring a life of plunder to 

 one of independent industry, and hence the generic title, 

 the term Lestris signifying a robber. 



Less, however, is known of the summer habits of this 

 species than of that bird which precedes it, or that which 

 is to follow. It is found on the west coast of Norway, and 

 at the Faroe Islands. By our intrepid Arctic voyagers it 

 was observed on the coast of Greenland, and at Whale-fish 

 Island. During the dangerous passage to the northward, 

 over ice and water, by Sir Edward Parry and Sir James 

 C. Ross, one bird of this species flew past the boats in 

 latitude 82 N. The Pomerine Skua was also seen at 

 Prince Regent's Inlet, Melville Island, and at Igloolik. 

 Sir James C. Ross mentions, in his last Appendix, that 

 a nest with two eggs was found near Fury Point, on the 

 margin of a small lake. Sir John Richardson says, " The 

 Pomarine Gull-hunter is not uncommon in the Arctic seas, 

 and northern outlets of Hudson's Bay, where it subsists on 

 putrid flesh and other animal substances thrown up by the 

 sea, and also on the matters which the Gulls disgorge when 

 pursued by it. It retires from the north in the winter, and 

 makes its first appearance at Hudson's Bay in May, coming 

 in from seaward. The Indians abhor it, considering it to 

 be a companion of the Esquimaux, and to partake of their 

 evil qualities." Mr. Audubon mentions having seen a few 

 birds of this species while on an ornithological cruise off 

 the coast of Labrador. The bird is said to form a rude 

 nest of grass and moss, which is placed on a tuft in 

 marshes, or on a rock, and to lay two or three eggs ; 

 these, as figured by Naumann and Buhle, are of a uniform 



s s 2 



