THE SKUA GULL. 



621 



side to side with extended pinions. Sometimes the bird does bend the last joint, but appar- 

 ently merely for the purpose of checking its progress, like a ship backing her topsails. It 

 is found in the Southern Seas. 



The Black-footed Albateoss {Diomedia nigripes) is abundant on the Pacific coast. 

 The Short-tailed is also common on that coast. Its characteristic feature is its extremely short 

 taU, contrasting strongly with the preceding, as the latter lias a long tail. Its length is about 

 three feet, with an extent of wing seven feet. The Sooty Albatross {Diomedia fusca), of 

 Audubon, is about the same in dimeusious. The Yellow-nosed Albatross is eniamerated as an 

 American species. 





GEOUP OF GBLLS. 



THE GULLS. 



The large family of the Gulls we will discuss here. 



The Skua is a large, fierce, and powerful bird, tyrannizing in a shameful manner over its 

 weaker relations, and robbing them without mercy. It feeds mostly on fish, but prefers taking 

 advantage of the labors of others to working honestly for its own living. As the lesser Gulls 

 are busily fishing, the Skuas hover about the spot, and as soon as a poor Gull Las caught a 

 fish, and is going ofl: to his family, down comes the Skua upon him with threatening beak and 

 rocking wings, and when the victim drops his burden, to escape with greater facility, the Skua 

 darts after the falling fish, and snaps it up before it reaches the water. It also eats eggs and 

 the smaller bii'ds, a propensity which is shared by other Gulls than the Skua. 



