290 
A GROUP OF SKUxVS. 
They never, I think, molest any other bird, nor are they at all 
addicted to quarrelling among themselves. Their food consists of 
small fishes, such as sand-eels and young herrings, which they pick 
up from the water, first hovering, with extended and elevated wings, 
then descending, spreading their tail, and letting down their feet, 
with which I have often seen them pat the water as if they were 
running on land. They never plunge so as to be immersed, but 
merely seize on what comes close to the surface. They also feed 
upon stranded fishes of large size, asterise, moUusca, shrimps, and 
other small Crustacea. Sometimes also they pick up grain in the 
fields, and in a state of domestication may be partly fed on bread. 
They are easily tamed ; but unless in a garden, or where they are 
not liable to be teased, they are seldom found to live long in this 
condition. 
The Common Skua {Lestris Catarractes)^ sometimes 
called the Skua Gull, or Bonxie. 
The Pomarine Skua {L, Fomariniis), 
Eichardson's Skua (L. Bichardsonii), variously called 
the Arctic Gull, Man-of-War Bird, Boatswain, Teaser, Dung 
Bird, or Dung Hunter, Dirten or Scoute AUen, vScull, 
Badock, Fasgadir. 
The Parasitic Skua (X. Farasiticci)._ — In the Skuas, or 
Skua Gulls, we have a group of birds nearly allied to the 
Petrels, and more intimately to the true Gulls, from which 
they are distinguished by their bolder aspect and habits, 
■which might almost entitle them to be called Sea Falcons. 
They are generally considered as forming a single genus, to 
•which some give the name Catarractes, and others Lestris ; 
the latter term signifying a robber7 expressive of the preda- 
tory habits of the birds, w^hich are especially remarkable for 
their practice of pursuing Gulls and Terns, and causing 
them to disgorge a portion of their food, on which the 
plunderers feed as it falls from them. It is doubtful if they 
ever fish for themselves ; but it seems that they feed upon 
the carcases of whales and dead animals which float upon the 
•waters. They have a more bounding and rapid flight than 
the Gulls, and the curvature of their claws seems to be 
intended for prehension, although they do not seize upon the 
birds which they pursue. 
All the Skuas are compact and robust of form ; they have 
moderately long necks and large heads, than which the bills 
