The Arctic Gull.'] OF ORKNEY. 119 



very eminent natural historians, I cannot think the excrement 

 of one congenerous bird can be the food of another ; but this 

 is only a private opinion. 



Species 3. The Skua. 



Our Cataracta, I suppose the Cornish Gannet, Wil. Orn. 348. Rail Syn. Av. 

 128. Cataractes, Sib. Scot. tab. 14. Sea Eagle, Hist. Fife, 46. Larus 

 Cataractes, Lin. Sys. 226. Brit. Zool. 417. Foula, Bonxie. 



THIS Gull we have not in Orkney, neither had I ever an 

 opportunity of seeing it till last 'summer I met with it in Foula, 

 an island to the westward of the Shetland Isles. 



As I approached the summits of the high mountains, I 

 came near the skua's quarters, which are affixe.d on the very 

 peaks. I no sooner approached but I was attacked with so 

 great fury, that every one of those who were with me, as well 

 as myself, were obliged to do him obeisance at every stroke. 

 He beat my dog entirely out of the pit, insomuch that he was 

 obliged to run in among our legs for shelter, and could not 

 be forced out again, for though bonxie (as he is here called), 

 had some regard for us while we kept together, on him he had 

 no mercy, every whip he fetched him made his own wings 

 crack, and the dog crouch into the hollows of the moor, till 

 we came up and relieved him. I followed one of them to 

 some distance from the rest, which made me part good com- 

 pany, and received some very rude salutes for my imprudence 



