131 

 ORNITHOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS 

 AND REFLECTIONS IN SHETLAND. 



EDMUND SELOUS. 



October 17TH, 1911. — Kittiwakes either fishing or floating 

 idly and prettily on the water. Those fishing plunge, now, from 

 a height, closing the wings and shooting some little way beneath 

 the surface. To them enter certain Arctic Skuas, and fish, at 

 secondhand for the fish that the Kittiwakes have fished for. His 

 highly spectacular method brings an odium upon the more ingen- 

 ious thief, here, which he does not at all specially deserve — it is 

 often so amongst ourselves, indeed. The steward of a Shetland 

 passenger steamer, though with no sort of tolerance for birds 

 that fish more orthodoxly — Shags, for instance — or love for 

 birds in general (or particular) was for destroying the whole 

 race of Skuas, so indignant was he made by this sight, and the 

 same spirit, higher placed and leading to wanton and stupid 

 acts of destruction,* is to be found in larger vessels that go on 

 scientific expeditions. To the man of uncultivated mind, 

 indeed, the thought of any balance or adjustment — any nicety 

 of interrelation between species and species — never occurs. 

 He is, or would be, if he could, a great interferer with one, at 

 the expense of another, though, at the same time, in larger 

 ways, and through his higher-plane human brutalities, he 

 will cheerfully bring both to extinction, and as many, to the 

 boot, as may be. 



These Skuas, hke Vultures, follow one another to the prey, 

 for if one makes chase of a bird that has been successful, his 

 companion, or any other that may happen to see him doing so, 

 joins in immediately, so that two, three or four — I have not 

 seen a greater number — may be pressing one Kittiwake at the 

 same time. Do the Skuas note, with accuracy, whether a 

 Kittiwake has succeeded, or failed, in his plunge ? I believe 

 they do. One plunged whilst a pirate was flying quite close to 

 him, but no pursuit ensued. This is in great contrast to the 

 way in which, following each other, they sweep to the chase 

 when, as is obvious, a capture has been effected, and thus, 

 by the action of the Skuas, one can judge as to the result of 

 each Kittiwake's attempt. A bird, thus persecuted, utters 

 harsh, indignant-sounding cries. Some drop the booty quickly, 

 but others show great obstinacy in not surrendering what they 

 have caught, and will go down on the water, without doing so, 

 the Skua — or Skuas — having, at last, to desist and go off. No 



* e.g, 'All that we could do to protect our friends' (the Adelie 

 Penguins namely) ' was to shoot as many of these sea-leopards as 

 possible' !!!!!! (the exclamation marks are my own). The above took 

 place on the British Antarctic Expedition, 1910-1913. 



1918 April » . 



