182 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



AltCTIC SKUA'S NEST. 



cap knocked off, over and over again, 

 by the latter bird, but neither in the 

 Shetlands nor the Outer Hebrides have 

 I ever once been touched by the one 

 under notice. It is true it will swoop 

 threateningly at the head of the intruder 

 upon the privacy of its nesting ground, 

 or hang in mid-air just over him, if a stiff 

 breeze should happen to be blowing, 

 and give vent to a doleful cat-like 

 mee-awh alarm cry, but personally I 

 have never known it go further. 



One very noticeable thing in regard 

 to the behaviour of this species is the 

 almost servile attentions of the males 

 towards the females, and the cold in- 

 difference, not to say contempt, with 



which such attentions are regarded by 

 their intended recipients. This pecu- 

 liarity, however, is not confined to the 

 species under notice alone, for in many 

 others, and especially during the days 

 of courtship, the unresponsive practical 

 stolidity of the females stands ovit in 

 striking contrast to the silly flippancy 

 and grotesque antics of members of the 

 opposite sex. 



There are two distinct varieties of 

 Arctic Skuas to be met with. One 

 is dark sooty brown on the breast and 

 under-parts, and the other white. This 

 peculiar difference does not appear to 

 be influenced by either age or sex, and 

 a member of the light variety may fre- 

 quently be found paired with a dark one. 



This species breeds on wild lonely 

 moors in the Shetlands, Orkneys, and 

 Hebrides. The nest consists of a slight 

 hollow in the ground amongst stunted 

 heather, coarse grass, and moss. The 

 eggs generally number two, varying from 

 dark olive brown to brownish green, 

 marked with spots and blotches of light 

 and dark brown. The Arctic Skua is 

 a migratory bird, arriving in this 

 country in May and leaving again in 

 August and September. 



