. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . Fig. 110.—Grey Sea Mews {Larus canus, Yarrell). with the exception of a grey back. When tempests threaten, thisspecies disperses in flocks over the inland districts. It is commonin summer in the regions of the Arctic Circle; in autumn andwinter it is found on the sea-coasts of temperate and southernEurope. The Skua, Labbe, or Dung-bird {Stercoraria, Yieillot), , is remarkable for its stout bill, which is nearly cylin-. Fig. 111.—The Common Skua {Lestris
. Reptiles and birds : a popular account of the various orders; with a description of the habits and economy of the most interesting . Fig. 110.—Grey Sea Mews {Larus canus, Yarrell). with the exception of a grey back. When tempests threaten, thisspecies disperses in flocks over the inland districts. It is commonin summer in the regions of the Arctic Circle; in autumn andwinter it is found on the sea-coasts of temperate and southernEurope. The Skua, Labbe, or Dung-bird {Stercoraria, Yieillot), , is remarkable for its stout bill, which is nearly cylin-. Fig. 111.—The Common Skua {Lestris cataractes, Yarrell). drical, and covered with a membrane from the base as far as thenostrils; the upper mandible is convex, hooked, and armed at THE SKUA. 309 the extremity with a crooked point, which almost appears as ifit was supplementary. These birds principally frequent the sea-shore, but at the time of storms they venture further fly very rapidly, even against the strongest wind. Theypursue the Sea Mews and the Terns most inveterately, and some-times even Boobies and Cormorants, their only aim being todeprive these birds of the prey they have caught; for the SeaMews and the Terns are their purveyors. Incessantly do theypursue, harass, and beat these species until they have forcedthem to disgorge and drop their booty: before the fish fallsinto the sea it is caught by the active persecutors. This singularhabit has given rise to the belief that Skuas feed upon the excre-ment of the Sea Mew, and to this they owe their name of Dung-bi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecad, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectreptiles
