292 THE BIRDS 



cry of " Kitty-wake, Kitty ~wa-ke I " while its specific name, Bissa 

 tridactyla, has been given to it on account of its lacking the hind 

 toe. 



The Skuas have representatives in many widely separated 

 parts of the world. Their principal breeding-grounds are the 

 Scottish hills and moors in the vicinity of the sea, the tundras of 

 Siberia, the fells of Scandinavia, and the barren shores of the 

 Arctic region. They are bold, fierce birds, addicted to robbing 

 other birds of their food, swooping down on terns, gulls and gannets 

 and forcing them to disgorge the fish they have caught for them- 

 selves. The Great Skua, or Bonxie, which breeds in the Highlands, 

 Iceland, and the Faroe Islands, will attack a man if he ventures 

 near its nesting-place, aiming, it is said, directly at his face, and 

 from its great size and strength is a formidable bird to encounter; 



The Terns are small, graceful birds, and from their forked tails 

 and hovering flight are often called " Sea-swallows." They are 

 all distinctly marine birds, though some species breed on inland 

 waters. They are constantly seen on the coast flying swiftly back- 

 wards and forwards over shallow pools and streams, every now 

 and then plunging into the water to seize the small fishes. They 

 will also eat small crustaceans, molluscs, frogs, newts and insects ; 

 the latter they are said sometimes to catch on the wing after the 

 manner of swallows. Some species nest in colonies on the marshes, 

 others on level rocks, grassy flats or sandy beaches. The nest is 

 often a simple hole in the ground, or masses of seaweed and grasses 

 are collected to form a soft bed for the eggs. The Noddies (A nous] 

 occasionally build in trees and bushes, the materials used being 

 twigs, grass, or seaweed. Noddies chiefly inhabit tropical and 

 sub-tropical regions and are distinguished from other Tern by 

 having the tail graduated instead of forked. Several species of 

 Tern are common in the British Isles. 



The Skimmers, or Scissor-bills (Rhynchops), somewhat resemble 

 the terns, but are distinguished from them and all other birds 

 by the curious formation of the bill, which is long and knife-like, 

 with the lower mandible very much longer than the upper one. 

 They fly low over the water with a swift, gliding motion, twisting 

 and turning with the greatest ease. When seeking food the Skimmer 

 opens its bill wide, and ploughs through the water or mud with 

 the long lower half, and in this way it catches small' fishes and 



