BICHAEDSON'S SKUA.
LESTRIS RICHARDSONI, Swainson.
Lestris richardsoui, Swainson, Faun. Bor.-Am. p. 433 (1831) ;
Macff. v. p. 4 9 2 ; Hewitson, ii. p. 509.
Lestris parasitica, Naum. x. p. 50G.
Stercorarius crepidatns, Yarr. ed. 4, iii. p. G74 ; Dresser, viii.
p. 471.
Labbeparasite, French; Schmarotzer-Raubmove, German ;
Cdgalo, Spanish.
As I have no personal acquaintance with this species
in the British Islands, my friend Colonel Irhy has been
good enough to write the following remarks from his
own experience for my benefit and that of my readers :—
" About thirty or forty pairs of Richardson's Skua
breed on one of the Inner Hebrides, where they arrive
during the end of May and are not seen after the 20th
of August.
" Their nesting district is limited to a flat area of
wettish ground covered with small tussocks of grass,
moss, and stunted heather, but the nests, or rather spots
upon which the eggs are laid, are dry.
" We found the first egg on the 2nd of June.
" They have a well-known habit of stooping close to