»» THE BIEDS OF AUSTRALIA 



toes. The bird is a great traveller, being a regular visitant to 

 the Antarctic Continent. Gould noticed the Skuas at a great 

 distance from land, resting themselves on masses of floating 

 seaweed. They feed on young and sick birds, which they kill 

 without remorse, but are easily daunted and driven off by adult 

 Gulls. They do not skim over the water, like the Petrels, but 

 fly low, with a heavy slow flapping of the roundish wings. The 

 white mark on the wing is conspicuous when seen from below. 

 In the breeding season the old birds are very fierce, flying round 



Ri(;hardsoTi Skua: Stercorarius crepidatus. 



the head of an intruder, dashing every now and again at him, 

 and making at the same time a curious croaking noise in their 

 throats. 



The Pomarine Skua. 



Stercorarius pomatorhiniis. 



Arctic regions north of 70°, when nesting; in winter southward as 

 far as Northern Australia, South Africa, and Peru. 



Forehead, cheeks and crown sooty black; acuminate feathers of the 

 neck white, edged with yellow, lower neck blackish; feathers of upper 

 breast white barred with black, which forms a dark collar; mantle, upper 

 tail-coverts and primaries dark brown; breast dull white; abdomen, 

 flanks and under wing-coverts umber. Total length 21 inches, culmen 1.7. 

 wing 14.25, tail about 5.25, tarsus 2.1. 



