THE ARCTIC JAGER. 193 



perceiving a distant flock of Gulls, he rises on wing and speeds towards 

 them. Renewing his attacks, he now obtains an abundant supply, and at 

 length, when quite gorged, searches for a place on which to alight, unseen 

 by any other of his tribe more powerful than himself. When on wing, its 

 beautiful long tail-feathers seem at times to afford this bird great assistance 

 in executing short sudden turns, which have often brought to my mind the 

 motions of a greyhound while pursuing a hare. By sudden lashings of its 

 tail, it can instantly turn, or arrest its flight. When it is on the water, it 

 keeps that part upright, but when on a rock or a floating piece of timber, it 

 allows it to fall in a graceful manner. 



Although usually seen single, or at most in pairs, during the winter, I 

 observed this species in April, on my voyage to the Florida Keys, in flocks 

 of from ten to fifteen, congregated as if for the purpose of returning to the 

 northern regions, where it is said to breed in groups. Mr. Selby, in 

 treating of this bird, says "It breeds upon several of the Orkney and 

 Shetland Isles, and is gregarious during that period; and the situations 

 selected for nidification are the unfrequented heaths at some distance from 

 the shores. The nest is composed of dry grass and mosses, and its two eggs 

 are of a dark oil-green, with irregular blotches of liver-brown. At this 

 season the bird is very courageous, and, like the Common Skua, attacks 

 every intruder upon the limits of its territory, by pouncing and striking at 

 the head with its bill and wings. It also occasionally endeavours to divert 

 attention by feigning accidental lameness." Having received eggs of this 

 bird from individuals who had collected them, I may add that they are 

 broadly rounded at the larger end, rather pointed at the smaller, have a 

 smooth shell, and average two inches four-twelfths in length, by one inch 

 and four and a half eighths in breadth.- 



M. Temmixck, in his Manuel d'Ornithologie, describes the young when 

 about to leave the nest as follows: "Top of the head of a deep grey; sides 

 and upper part of the neck of a light grey, sprinkled with longitudinal brown 

 spots; a black spot before the eyes; lower part of the neck, back, scapulars, 

 small and large wing-coverts, umber-brown, each feather bordered with 

 yellowish-brown, and often with reddish; lower parts irregularly variegated 

 with deep brown and yellowish-brown on a whitish ground; tail-coverts and 

 abdomen transversely barred; quills of the wings and tail blackish, white at 

 their base and on the inner barbs, all terminated with white; the two outer 

 shafts white; tail only rounded; base of the bill yellowish-green, black 

 towards the point; tarsi bluish-grey; base of the toes and membranes white, 

 the rest black, hind claw often white." 



In middle age, he says, "all the upper parts are greyish-brown without 

 spots; lower parts of a somewhat lighter tint, and also unspotted; inner base 



Vol. VII. 28 



