200 BRITISH BIRDS’ RGGS 
RICHARDSON’S SKUA. 
STERCORARIUS CREPIDATUS, Banks. 
Pl. XXXV., fig. 2. 
Geogr. disty.—Northern portions of Europe and America; in Asia 
on the coast of Hindostan; in Africa southwards to the Cape. In 
Great Britain it is not uncommon on different parts of the coast in 
winter, but it breeds only in the Orkney and Shetland Islands and the 
Hebrides. 
Food.—Fish, Mollusca, and eggs of sea birds. 
Nest.—Coustructed rather carelessly of grass, moss, and fragments 
of heather. 
Position of nest.—On the ground amongst heather in marshy and 
uncultivated moorland. 
Number of eggs.—2. 
Time of nidvfication.—V-VI. 
This bird has been met with as far south as Yorkshire. 
It is a notorious bandit, robbing Gulls and Terns of their 
hard-earned meals. Mr. Cecil Smith says of it, ‘ This, 
like the rest of the Skuas, is a northern species, only 
visiting our southern counties in the autumn and winter, 
probably following the other birds that follow the herrings 
and sprats. It remains, however, to breed in the more 
northern parts of the kingdom, such as the Shetlands and 
Orkneys, where it appears to occupy very high hills and 
moors as its breeding station, scratching a hole amongst 
the heather for a nest, which it lines with dry grass and 
moss.” 
Mr. Smith further remarks that this Skua attempts to 
mislead the birds-nester by feigning to be wounded, after 
the manner of the Peewit. Its food appears to consist 
mostly of fish, which it bullies the Gulls and Terns into 
disgorging, but it is also a bold thief, losing no opportunity 
of plundering the nests of any Gulls, Guillemots, or other 
birds which are unlucky enough to be near neighbours 
during the breeding season.—(‘ Birds of Somersetshire,’ 
pp. 617, 618). 
