Dr Fleming cm the Arctic and Sima Gulls. 101 
young lambs, ducks, and poultry In Zetland, however, he is 
universally regarded as a piscivorous bird. 
When observed at sea, this Skua is considered as a stupid in- 
active bird, although bold and resolute on land. He will suffer 
a person in a boat to approach very near without being disr 
turbed. When flying, the white roots of his quills appear like a 
white spot, and the tail is spread out like a fan. 
2. C. PARASITICUS. Arctic Skua. Plumage above black ; the 
two middle tail-feathers produced; length from 18 to 21 
inches ; breadth from 42 to 43 1 inches ; weight from 12 to 
16 ounces. 
English synonymes — Arctic bird, Arctic-gull, Feaser, Dung- 
hunter, Dung-bird, Scull, Boatsxvain. Scottish synonimes 
— Faskidar, Badock, Allan, Scouti-allan, Dirtei'i-allan, SkuL 
Edward’s Birds^ tab. 148, 149- 
Linn. Syst. Nat. 76. 10. 
Penn. Brit. Zool. ii. p. 5S3. No. 245. tab. 87* 
The bill is two inches in length, of a greyish-black colour, darkest 
towards the point. The upper mandible is rounded along the mar- 
gin towards the base, a little prominent in front of the nostrils above, 
and bent downwards at the end. The under mandible is bent in- 
wards at the edges, and at the apex forms a groove sloping down- 
wards ; at the base it is grooved laterally, and at the junction of 
the two sides beneath, there is an angular prominence. The eyes 
are surrounded with a narrow black orbit, and the irides are of a 
hazel-brown colour. The legs are of a black colour, rather slender- 
The claw of the outer toe is short ; that of the middle toe broad and 
grooved belov/ ; and of the inner toe, narrow and arched. 
The plumage above is intermediate between greyish black and 
brownish black. At the base of the bill there are a few short red- 
dish white feathers. Round the neck there is an indistinct circle of 
feathers more wiry and pointed than the others, and of an oil-green 
-colour near the shafts. On the under side of the body the plumage 
is blackish grey, with a tinge of ferruginous ash. Some of the fea- 
thers on the belly are edged with white ; those on the vent incline 
to brownish black. The wings are long, reaching beyond the late- 
ral feathers ef the tail. The first feather is the longest. The shafts 
of the quills are white at the base, becoming black tow^ards the tips. 
The webs are raven black, lightest at the base, and darkest at the 
extremities. The tail consists of twelve feathers ; the five exte- 
rior ones on each side are rounded with a smAll projection of the ex- 
tremity of the shaft ; the two middle feathers reach two inches and 
CL half beyond the rest, and taper to a point. The shafts are white 
at the base, and the webs also are light-coloured, but both are raven 
black towards the extremity. 
f Oviedo says it devours not only fish, but also birds and lizards. — 
