544 THE POMARINE JAEGER. 



where barred with dusky. Young, dark phase : Entirely brownish slate, the 

 under parts more or less barred with whitish or dull buffy. In the young of the 

 year the central tail-feathers do not project beyond the others more than half an 

 inch or such a matter. The light and dark phases described above do not repre- 

 sent actual dichromatism, such as exists in the case of the Screech Owl, but only 

 extremes of coloration within which every intermediate condition may be found. 

 The commonest form is one in which the chest is sparingly, and the sides of the 

 breast, hind-neck, and sides are heavily barred with dusky and buffy. Length 

 22.00 (558.8) ; wing 13.7s (349-3) ; tail 8.25 (209.6) ; bill 1.55 (39.4) ; tarsus 2.10 

 (53-3)- 



Recognition Marks. — Latge Crow size (size of Ring-billed Guh) ; uniform 

 dusky or dusky-and-white coloration; central tail-feathers elongated, not taper- 

 ing; bill rather small for size, sharply hooked, and provided with thin "cere". 

 Predatory in habit ; oftenest found harassing other birds of the same family. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Ohio. Nest, on the ground, of grass and moss. 

 Bggs, 2-3, pale olive-green or deep olive-drab, sparingly spotted with slate-color 

 and two shades of umber, chiefly at the larger end, where they become confluent 

 (Brewer). Av. size, 2.30 x 1.67 (58.4 x 42.4). 



General Range. — Seas and inland waters of northern portions of the north- 

 ern hemisphere; south in winter to Africa, Australia, and probably South America. 



Range in Ohio. — Quite rare. Since the record made at Cleveland, Ohio, 

 Feb. 7, 1881 by H. E. Chubb, two more specimens have been reported 'from Lake 

 Erie. 



FISHER-FOLK, because of their exposed situation, have ever been at 

 the mercy of pirates and free-booters ; and the same rule obtains in the bird- 

 world as among men. The Bald Eagle stands ready to relieve the Fish Hawk 

 of his hardly-won prey, and the Man-o'-War Bird sweeps the southern main 

 on a perpetual quest for fish-laden Gannets and Pelicans. In the northern 

 waters the gentlemen of the sea are the Jaegers — hunters. Here upon wings 

 marvellously swift and cruelly graceful, the little corsairs hurry to and fro 

 to observe which of their fisher-friends has made a catch, and to make instant 

 requisition for it. It may even be a Glaucous Gull that has just sw'allowed 

 a herring, and if detected in the act the Gull moves ofif screaming, while the 

 little bully darts at him repeatedly, and prods and browbeats him until he ig 

 glad to disgorge for the sake of being rid of his persecutor. 



The Kittiwake Gull is the acknowledged thrall of this rapacious viking, 

 and if his eggs or callow young escape the devouring beak, it is only that they 

 may henceforth share the spoils of the sea with their merciless master. The 

 Jaegers follow their victims southward in the fall, and like them, are upon 

 rare occasion seen about the Great Lakes. 



In default of unlawful plunder, the birds gather refuse and offal cast 

 up on shore, or occasionally share the bounty of the ship's galley. In some 

 sections also they are said to capture small birds and quadrupeds on shore. 



