GREAT SKUA. 347 



well-marked angle at the gonys, larger and coarser feet, and by its nearly 

 uniform sooty-brown plumage, the axillary plumes being invariably 

 smoke-coloured " 



The Great Skua lives almost entirely on the ocean and on the rocky 

 coasts of oceanic islands, where it leads a solitary life, like a bird of prey, 

 avoided by the smaller sea-birds, who know full well that it is an enemy 

 who is ever ready to pounce upon them if wounded, or to ibllow them 

 until they disgorge their newly swallowed meal, to assist the rapidity of 

 their flight, or delay the progress of their pursuer. As the breeding-season 

 approaches it is generally seen in pairs, and towards the end of April it 

 assembles in small colonies at its breeding-stations ; but even there the nests 

 are seldom placed very near each other. Early or late in May, according 

 to the season, eggs are laid, but before the end of August the young are 

 well able to fly, the colony is dispersed, and the breeding-grounds are 

 deserted. The Great Skua is a bird of very powerful flight, sailing majes- 

 tically through the air like a large Gull, but, if necessary, able to twist and 

 turn with great ease. It is at once wary and bold too wary to allow itself 

 easily to be approached within gunshot, except at its breeding-grounds, 

 where its boldness is very remarkable. It dashes up in great excitement 

 within a few feet of the intruder, then, perhaps, skims over his head with 

 outstretched feet and loud whirr of wing, sometimes even striking him in 

 its rage. Time after time it returns to the attack, swooping down from 

 above, or skimming over the surface of the ground to rise at the object of 

 its pursuit. It easily succeeds in frightening away the Ravens and the 

 Sea-Eagles, and very few dogs will face its furious attacks. 



It makes a somewhat slight nest, treading a hollow in the moss nearly a 

 foot in diameter, and lining it with bits of moss, a little dead grass, and a 

 feather or two. The usual number of eggs is two, but in some instances 

 it is said that one only is found. The statement that it sometimes lays 

 three eggs does not seem to be well authenticated. The eggs vary in 

 length from 3'0 to 2'7 inch and in breadth from 2'0 to 1'9 inch. They 

 vary in ground-colour from pale huffish brown to dark buffish brown ; the 

 overlying spots are dark brown, and the underlying ones are greyish 

 brown, generally most thickly distributed round the large end, where they 

 are sometimes confluent, and usually varying from the size of a pea down- 

 wards, and never very conspicuous. They bear a close resemblance to 

 brown varieties of the eggs of the Lesser Black-backed and Herring-Gulls, 

 but the spots always appear duller, in consequence of the less difference in 

 colour between the markings and the ground-colour. 



The ordinary call-note of the Great Skua on the wing is an ag, ag, like 

 that of the larger Gulls ; but when chasing birds to make them disgorge 

 their food it utters a loud sharp cry, which is supposed to resemble the 

 syllable skua with a strong terminal accent, whence its name. At the nest 



2A2 



