Birds of Britain 



the United Kingdom are on two islands of the Shetlands, 

 where it is strictly protected. During the winter, unless 

 driven inshore by stress of weather, it keeps out at sea, 

 remaining near the Gulls on the fishing-grounds. 



The nest is a " scrape " among the heather on the highest 

 part of some island, and the eggs, two in number, are olive 

 brown with darker markings. In defence of their home 

 this species is very bold, sweeping down continually at an 

 intruder and even striking at him with their wings. 



The sexes are alike, and are dark brown above with 

 chestnut and whitish mottlings ; below they are of a uniform 

 rufous brown. The claws are hooked and sharp. Length 

 21 in. ; wing 1 6 in. 



The young resemble their parents. 



THE POMATORHINE SKUA 



Stercorarius pomatorhinus (Temminck) 



This bird, especially when immature, is not very rare on 

 our eastern shores during the autumn migration in September 

 and October, a few even wintering off our south coast. On 

 the return migration in spring it is very rarely seen. 



It breeds in Eastern Siberia and thence eastward across 

 Arctic America to Greenland. 



The adult has the head sooty black. The hind neck 

 whitish with straw yellow acuminate feathers. Upper 

 parts brown, two central tail feathers longer than the rest 

 and twisted vertically. Under parts whitish, except the 



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