LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 
259 
This species has been incorrectly named the Arctic Jaeger, — or 
Skua, as the birds of this group are called by British Ornitholo- 
gists, — for it is less Arctic m its distribution than either of its rela- 
tives. All this group breed in high latitudes; but while the other 
species build within the Arctic Circle, the Parasitic Jaeger nests in 
numbers in Southern Greenland and throughout the higher portions 
of the fur countries, and nests have been found in Scotland. In 
winter this bird is common along the coast as far south as the Bay 
of Fundy, and some few examples wander along the New England 
shores. 
The Jaegers are very similar in their habits. All are strong birds, 
of swift and skilful flight, and all obtain their chief food supply by 
robbing the Gulls of their prey. 
The Kittiwake is the victim most frequently selected by the 
Parasitic Jaeger, and the little Gull has small chance for escape 
from its more powerful antagonist, who pursues and attacks until 
the coveted fish is dropped. But our bird does not limit its diet 
to fish, — young Gulls and eggs are quite as acceptable to the 
Jaeger’s palate, — nor does it refuse any carrion the drift may 
offer, and in extremity will feast on crow-berries. 
LONG-TAILED JAEGER. 
BUFFON’S SKUA. 
Stf.rcorarius longicaudus. 
Char. Upper parts dark brownish slate, shading to darker on wings 
and tail ; top of head sooty black ; rest of head and neck bufiish yellow, 
paler on’the throat ; breast white, shading into the grayish brown of the 
belly • shafts of two outer primaries white ; middle tail-feathers narrow 
and pointed and extending four to eight inches beyond the lateral feath- 
ers ; bill grayish black ; legs olive gray, feet black. Length about 23 
VoLg birds are grayish brown, more or less barred with white and 
bul Distinguished from arcticus by its rather smaller and shmmer 
form and the greater length, W/y, of the central tad-feathers, also by 
the grayer tints of the back and the absence of white on all the primaries 
excepting the outer two. , , , u,. 
Nest. In a colony on a barren moorland or tundra near the sea, or ny 
an inland lake or upon an island, - a slight hollow stamped in the turf or 
soil and lined with a few bits of grass or leaves. ,,-,1 tt 
Egsfs. J-3 (usually 2); pale to dark olive, sometimes reddish butt, 
marked with brown and gray ; average size about 2.10 X i- 50 - 
