Richardson's skua in its nesting haunts. 171 



and, by dissection, we have found the stomach of a downy 

 nestling crammed with spiders ; but, except in the breeding 

 haunts, we have not personally seen the bird foraging for him- 

 self. 



The Skuas retire to the wildest mosses during the breeding 

 season, and are, in consequence, somewhat local in their dis- 

 tribution. Odd pairs are found in many haunts throughout 

 the islands, and several colonies of at least twenty pairs occur 

 in suitable localities. In sparsely populated districts and un- 

 inhabited islands they are less particular in their choice of a 

 nesting-ground, though they usually prefer a more or less mossy 

 region. Their associates vary in different haunts ; their more 

 important fellow - dwellers being Golden Plover, Dunlin, 

 Whimbrel, Curlew, and Lesser Blackbacks. 



One morning in June, Mr. James Baxter and I set out in 

 quest of the Skua to a known haunt, and on our arrival soon 

 had the black bird flying above us. Its mate, a white-breasted 

 bird, came into view shortly afterwards ; but, during our 

 selection of a suitable spot on the knowe-face from which to 

 watch them, disappeared again, and the black bird alone kept 

 prominently before our notice, alighting at one time on the 

 crest of the knowe beyond the moss, and at another within the 

 moss itself, and again flying around above the nesting-ground, 

 and varying its actions by pursuing a passing Gull. We sup- 

 posed the white bird would be sitting, and, advancing a few 

 yards into the moss, we succeeded in rousing it again. Baxter 

 now kept the black one under scrutiny, whilst I paid heed to 

 the white one. The latter bird soon alighted on a tussock in 

 the moss, and after a brief halt rose again and settled on 

 another tussock where it was well-nigh hidden from view. It 

 seemed now to be sitting, and kept bobbing its head up and 

 down as it peered over the grass in our direction. Often the 

 black forehead alone would be visible, at other times the white 

 chin also was displayed, and finally nothing could be seen at 

 all as the bird had drawn in her head. The black bird mean- 

 while stood stationary in the moss and in full view. We were 

 convinced that the white bird was on the nest, but we did not 

 wish to act too hurriedly, and, setting the birds on the wing 

 once more, we passed further into the moss and rested again. 



