^Q- ^O THE SLEDGE-JOURNEY AND FRANZ JOSEF LAND. 



33 



between Gape Richthofen and Cape Barents (Northbrook Island), they were 

 seen occasionally, and P. eburnea seems to be less connected with open 

 water than the kittiwake, which on the whole is seldom seen away from it. 

 Although P. eburnea often appeared simultaneously with L. glaums, 

 each species differed in several respects. When a pair of L. glaums were 

 going to swoop down upon a skinned seal or walrus, they first circled ma- 

 jestically above it, and then dropped down, and settled at a httle distance, 

 sitting there contemplatively for some little while, before they finally walked 

 towards their booty. Here the smaller P. eburnea, which were already busy 

 over their meal, would respectfully make way for them. P. eburnea, uttering 

 its shrill, angry cry, darts like an arrow upon its prey. If a walrus or a 

 bear were being skinned, they were instimtly on the spot, and often pecked 

 at the blubber 'almost under the very knife itself. 



Stercoraritis crepidatus, (Banks) 1773. 



During the journey along the north-west coast of Franz Josef Land, St. 

 crepidatus was not uncommon, and it was observed almost daily during the 

 kayak-voyage, nearly always together with Eissa tridactyla, which were the 

 objects of their almost incessant attacks. At Gape Hugh Mill (81° 18' 

 N. Lat.), where the travellers were encamped on the 25th and 26th August, 

 1895, the frightened cry of the kittiwakes was heard all night long, as they 

 were chased by skuas trying to make them relinquish the booty they had 

 captured. 



At the winter hut, during the latter part of August and the beginning 

 of September, Nansen had a good opportunity of studying their ways. From a 

 long distance, a skua, with its sharp eyes, would at once observe if one 

 bird in a whole flock of kittiwakes made a catch — possibly a small fish or 

 a crustacean — worth its efforts. The skua would then silently make straight 

 for the poor bird, not missing it even amongst a score of other kittiwakes. 

 Darting down like an arrow, the skua would now chase the kittiwake, which 

 would utter the most pitiful cries of distress. The wild chase would be 

 continued until the latter had to disgorge its booty, which it had long since swal- 

 lowed, when the skua would dart down, and catch the falling food before it 



reached the water. It very often happened, however, that the kittiwake, un- 



5 



