GREAT SKUA 455 



Kerry : One, Tralee Harbour, date uncertain, in the 

 collection at Chute Hall. 



Tipperary : One, near Thurles, November, 1894, received 

 by Messrs. Williams and Son. This is an interesting record 

 of a bird picked up inland after a storm, and appears to be 

 the most recent Irish occurrence. 



Recently a Great Skua was obtained at Dungeness, on 

 October 4th, 1900 (W. R. Butterfield, 'Zoologist,' 1900, 

 p. 521) ; another in the Isle of Man, December, 1903 (Ralfe, 

 ' Zoologist/ 1904, p. 33) ; another, obtained near Robin 

 Hood's Bay, Scarborough, on June 29th, 1904 (W. J. Clarke, 

 ' Zoologist,' 1905, p. 74) ; while on September 21st, 1901, 

 Mr. Caton Haigh observed a large dark Skua (probably 

 S. catarrachtes) on the coast of North-east Lincolnshire 

 (' Zoologist,' 1902, p. 132). 



On July 20th, 1903, when in company with the late 

 Mr. E. Williams, of Dublin, I had a splendid view of a 

 Great Skua in Holyhead Harbour, not far from the land- 

 ing stage, an unusual place for such a seafaring 1 pirate to 

 frequent. I made my observations from the deck of one 

 of the cross-channel steamers as she moved slowly out of 

 the harbour. When first observed the bird was swim- 

 ming on the water. Presently it rose, and with rapid 

 beat of wing, directed its course towards a Lesser Black- 

 backed Gull which was fishing some two hundred yards 

 ahead. Perceiving its aggressor, the Gull shot upwards 

 from the water, hotly pursued. The chase was an exciting 

 one, the Skua responding so closely to each evading turn and 

 swoop, that it almost seemed to overshadow the Gull for the 

 greater part of the time. The latter, however, on this 

 occasion, did not forfeit its recently-swallowed meal, but 

 managed to escape its tormentor by settling on the water. 

 Finding the chase of no avail the Skua then flew out 

 to sea. 



Flight. Like that of other members of its Family, the 

 flight is powerful, buoyant, and full of rapid turns and 

 twists, resembling at times the flight of birds of prey. 



Voice. The note may be syllabled skiti, skui, from which 

 the bird has derived its name. 



Food. This species will not only chase Gulls and tire 

 them until they are forced to disgorge their food, which is 



1 I have met this bird flying leisurely in the middle of the North 

 Atlantic Ocean ; lat. 56, 14' N., long. 33 2' W. 



