506 
LARID^E. 
took up his residence at the spot, in order the more 
effectually to destroy those birds, which are considered 
by the people as their friends, and the protectors of 
their flocks against the eagles. In this he found no 
difficulty, for the bird knows no fear, and succeeded in 
almost extirpating them, not more than ten or twelve 
remaining when we were there. Here all the eggs 
which we found were of the deep colouring of the second 
figure of the plate, whilst most of those which I after¬ 
wards saw upon Foula were lighter and more like the 
first: one was nearly white, bleached, I should sup¬ 
pose, by the almost constant moisture of the mist, their 
breeding-place being here within a few paces of the 
mountain top, fourteen hundred feet in height. More 
labour is bestowed by the Skua in the formation of its 
nest than by the different species of sea gulls : it is 
large, and composed of a quantity of the moss which 
grows in such moory situations. The eggs, which are 
always two in number, are laid towards the end of June; 
they are easily found, and their situation pointed out 
by the poor bird itself, in its anxiety to defend them. 
It is impossible not to admire its unflinching boldness 
of attack; soaring aloft, it will, on your approaching 
its nest, suddenly pounce down at a short distance from 
you to the level of your head ; and, flying directly at 
you and with great force, will strike you with its power¬ 
ful bill, immediately rising to repeat its attack, which 
is continued with increasing rapidity as you near its 
nest. It is considered by the inhabitants as the pro¬ 
tector of their flocks, and with good reason, and it is 
by them protected in return. No eagle would with 
impunity approach the dwelling-place of a bird possessed 
of such courage and intrepidity. When soaring aloft, 
it much resembles an eagle in its flight—when on the 
