LXXXV. SKUA. 



ONE day when I was out fishing I saw what looked like a Hawk 

 in pursuit of a Sea Gull, which was evidently in a great fright. 

 To my surprise the dark coloured hawk -like bird soon aftei 

 alighted on the sea, and swam about among the other Gulls. 

 An old fisherman who was out with me told me in such English 

 as he could command that it was a sort of Gull that chased the 

 others and stole their fish, so I conjectured that the bird I saw 

 must be the Skua, which I had read of, but had never seen. It 

 dashed at the Gull, which opened its beak to scream, dropping 

 the fish, which the Skua caught in mid-air, and carried off'. 



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