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G e n . C h a r . Beak m oderate, h a rd , stro n g , cylindrical, v e ry compressed, h o oked a t th e point,
th e upper mandible covered w ith a cere, th e under mandible w ith an an g le o n th e inferior
edge. Nostrils ap p ro a ch in g th e p o in t o f th e b e ak , diagonal, n a rrow , closed on th e ir poste
rio r p a rt, a n d pervious. Tarsi lo n g , naked above th e knee. Feet h av in g th re e toes
before, en tire ly p a lm a te d ; h in d toe v e ry sm a ll; nails la rg e an d hooked. Tail slightly
ro u n d ed , tw o middle feathers elongated. Wings, first quill-featlier longest.
SKUA.
Lestris catarractes, Temm.
Le S te rco raire cataracte.
T he Skua is an inhabitant of the higher regions of both hemispheres: it is constantly found on the Northern
seas of the European Continent; and although it is not met with, we believe, in the North American seas,
Captain Cook observed it at the extremity of the Southern Continent, being very abundant about the Falkland
Islands; and several collected by Captain P. P. King, on his last survey of the Straits o f Magellan,
and Terra del Fuego, were found on examination to be strictly identical with our own. In Europe; the
Orkney, Shetland and Feroe Isles appear to he among the favourite breeding-places, and during the
period of incubation the male becomes extremely fierce and pugnacious; it is, notwithstanding, a welcome
guest to the inhabitants, whose flocks, but for this bird, would be more frequently exposed to the ravages of the
eagle and raven; the former he will courageously attack, and repel, whenever he appears within the range
of his dominions, for which service we can personally testify to the unwillingness with which the natives allow
this bird to be destroyed.
The Lestris catarractes may be often observed wandering about, generally in pairs, on the northern shores
of these Islands; the season, however, when the Skua may be most abundantly met with, is that in which the
innumerable shoals of herrings visit our shores, at which times they are followed by flocks of Gulls of various
species, who find in them an ample repast. It is not, however, for the sake of fishing, himself, that the Skua
follows in the train, but, like the rest of his congeners, for the purpose of depriving the more industrious
labourers of their booty, harassing them with unceasing ferocity until they deliver up their spoil. Fish thus
obtained is not, however, his only food; for carrion, and the flesh of dead cetaceous and molluscous animals
are not refused; it is even asserted, that, like the rapacious tribe of Falcons, whose place he may be said to
take on the ocean, he will destroy birds of inferior size and strength,— an act for which his formidable talons,
strong hooked beak, and great powers of flight, render him extremely well qualified.
The sexes differ but little in colour and size, and, contrary to what takes place in the other species of
this genus, the young and adult exhibit but trifling variations. Its entire length is about twenty-two inches.
The bill is long, black, and strongly hooked; legs and feet jet black; length of the tarsi two inches and
a half; feet webbed; toes armed with strong hooked talons, that on the inner toe being the most formidable
Its general colour is a dark umber brown, varied on the back with light shades of reddish brown; the neck
marked with elongated lines of dusky yellow; the first quill-feather of the wings the longest, the upper part
of the webs and shafts white; the lower part dark brown; tail cuneiform, the two centre feathers projecting
about an inch beyond the others. The egg of this bird resembles that of the Herring Gull in shape and
colour, but is rather smaller, measuring two inches and a half in length by one and three quarters in
breadth, olive brown blotched and spotted with darker brown.
We have figured an adult male, two thirds its natural size.
In our description o f the Pomarine Gull we omitted to notice the egg of that bird, which, as figured by
Naumann and Buhle, measures two inches three lines in length, and one inch eight lines in breadth; of a dark
olive green, blotched and spotted with two shades of red brown.