THE AKCTIC OK KICHAKDSON’s SKUA. 
357 
does seem to appreciate one tliorouglily. It is as good as a 
comedy to witness liis outbreak of high spirits, as he suddenly 
sweeps up high into the air, witli a taunting cry, half peacock 
half tom-cat, and leaves far behind him the bewildered stranger 
whom he has befooled hopelessly off the track of the nests by 
his admirable simulation of broken leg, broken wing, and 
broken prospects in general. There is not an ill that bird liesh 
is heir to which the Shooi cannot convince you he is afflicted 
with. While the young are quietly running away in one 
direction, getting well into cover of the heather, the parent in 
charge will lead the visitor a perfect Jack o’ Lantern dance. In 
the greatest excitement, the man stumbles along over the 
tussocks, always on the point of running the bird clown, and 
always just missing it ; and then to see the contrast, as the one 
springs into vigorous life and the other stands gaping after it 
in astonishment, is ludicrous in the extreme. 
Then, again, to watch the bird among the Gulls is a continual 
source of amusement. The robber sails smoothly about, on 
the look-out for a meal, and at last sees a poor industrious old 
Gull carrying home a dinner or a supper to his family, and at 
once gives chase. No sooner does the Gull perceive that he is 
the object of attention than his wings begin to beat with more 
than their customary rapidity ; the Shooi glides after him like 
an arrow, and the Gull, finding his enemy close upon him, 
drops suddenly for a yard or so. This causes the other to 
overshoot the mark, and as he turns back the Gull reascends, 
and the Shooi passes under him. In this way they continue 
for some little time, circling and wheeling about, now high, 
now low, the Gull jabbering all the while with his mouth full, 
and the Shooi sticking to him as close as slander. Presently 
Shooi gets impatient. He goes straight at the Gull, buffets him 
on the breast and back ; all is confusion for a moment ; there is 
a squall from the big stupid of a Gull, and down goes the fish, 
and down goes the little Shooi after it, snapping it up long 
before it reaches the ground or the water, and making off with 
it in triumph, almost winking at you as he passes. The Great 
