332 BEITISH BIRDS 



hoped that this insignificant remnant will continue to exist many 

 years, when we consider that the childish and contemptible craze 

 of eggshell-collecting is very common, and that many collectors do 

 not hesitate to steal, or to bribe others to steal for them, the eggs 

 they desire to have in their cabinets. 



About April the surviving birds return to their ancestral breed- 

 ing-grounds and make their simple nests, composed of a few twigs 

 or a little dry grass, in a slight hollow in the ground. The two 

 eggs laid vary in ground-colour from pale to dark buffish brown, 

 and are spotted with dark brown, with greyish brown underlying 

 spots. They resemble the eggs of the herring-gull and lesser black- 

 back. 



In the breeding season the skua is a terror to all birds in the 

 vicinity of its nest, as it is even more savage and impetuous in the 

 defence of its eggs than when seeking its prey. Eavens, sea-eagles, 

 dogs, and foxes, are violently attacked and driven off by it. It is 

 also very bold towards a human intruder, gliding to and fro close to 

 the surface within a few feet of him, and hovering overhead, 

 screaming, and occasionally dashing down violently at his head, and 

 all but striking it. They do strike sometimes, it is said, and it is 

 related by the Shetlanders that birds have impaled themselves on a 

 knife held up to ward off an attack, and have met their death in 

 other curious ways, when trying to defend their nests. These stories 

 are doubtless true, although the birds are less bold now than formerly, 

 a long and sad experience having taught them that there is one 

 enemy they cannot frighten away. I have often been struck by birds 

 engaged hi defending their nests hawks, waders, and perching 

 birds and in some cases the striker has stunned himself ; but this 

 happened at a distance from Britain, in a region where birds have 

 not been persecuted so long, and fear man less. 



It is from its exceedingly violent down-rushing method of attack 

 that the great skua derives its specific name of catcvrrhactes. It 

 rushes down like a cataract. This is an ancient name for a bird of 

 prey, and, hi this case, a singularly fit one. But what shall we say of 

 Brisson's hideous and ridiculous invention of Stercorarius as the 

 generic name for all the skuas ? 



