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their mutings ! Although all the Skuas are birds of the 

 open sea, seeking the fishing-grounds far from the coast, 

 and seldom, unless the weather is very boisterous, coming 

 near the shore for shelter, we have instances of all four 

 species having been met with far inland, driven in by the 

 stress of severe autumn gales. 



Commoil Skua. Stercorarius catarrhactes (Linn.). 



[Tom Harry, Old Hen, Dev. ; Bonsie (Shetland Isles), Great Skua.] 



A casual visitor in autumn, winter, and spx'ing, rarely approaching our 

 shores, and generally keeping far oul; in the Channel. When obtained 

 the birds are usually in an exhausted state, having been driven far inland 

 by severe gales at sea. 



This powerful and courageous bird nests on the Shetland Isles, where it 

 will not sufier either the Eaven or the Sea-Eagie to come near its station, 

 and was fast becoming exterminated owing to the rapacity of " collectors " 

 for its skin and eggs, but we are glad to hear that the landowners are now 

 doing their best to preserve it. Like all the other Skuas it comes south 

 in the autumn, and on 5th October, 1891, was seen in considerable 

 numbers by Mr. G. F. Mathew, K.X., when passing in H.M.S. ' Tyne,' on 

 the Burlings, some rocky islets 8 or 10 miles off the coast of Portugal, and 

 again off Cape St. Vincent, on the ship's return voyage from Malta, on 

 2oth of the same month. The Common Skua very seldom enters the estu- 

 aries, keeping well out to sea, and for this reason is not so often obtained 

 as the other species, and may be considered a rare bird on the Devonshire 

 coast. We have seen one which was shot some years since at Applcdore, 

 in North Devon, and a more recent specimen is said to have been obtained 

 in a ploughed field close to Barnstaple. Some of the reported occurrences 

 of the Common Skua are open to doubt, as we have known cases in which 

 the romatorhine Skua in its first year's chocolate-brown plumage has 

 done duty for it. Several examples have been ])rocurcd in different years 

 in the south of the county, a list of which we append below. Col. Montagu 

 thought from the powerful talons of this species, and esiiecially from the 

 great strength and curved shape of the inner claw, that the Common Skua, 

 instead of bolting its food whole, held it under its feet, like a Hawk, and 

 tore it in pieces. We have failed to meet with any confirmation of this 

 in any author, but have been informed by Lord Lilford that two Common 

 Skuas from Foula in his aviaries " habitually stand upon and tear up 

 their meat unless it is thrown to them in small pieces." He adds that 

 they prefer flesh of birds or beasts to fish, though they eat the latter 

 greedily. The Common Skuas at Foula are reported to catch great 

 numbers of Kittiwakes, sf'izing them in their claws and carrying them off 

 to devour. Lord Lilford's Skuas, soon after their arrival ut Lilford, 



