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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 (gcide)

Skua \Sku"a\, n. [Icel. sk?fr, sk?mr.] (Zool.)
Any jager gull; especially, the {Megalestris skua}; -- called
also {boatswain}.
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Jager \Ja"ger\, n. [G. j[aum]ger a hunter, a sportsman. Cf.
{Yager}.] [Written also {jaeger}.]
1. (Mil.) A sharpshooter. See {Yager}.
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2. (Zool.) Any species of gull of the genus {Stercorarius}.
Three species occur on the Atlantic coast. The jagers
pursue other species of gulls and force them to disgorge
their prey. The two middle tail feathers are usually
decidedly longer than the rest. Called also {boatswain},
and {marline-spike bird}. The name is also applied to the
skua, or Arctic gull ({Megalestris skua}).
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Tropic \Trop"ic\, a.
Of or pertaining to the tropics; tropical.
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{Tropic bird} (Zool.), any one of three species of oceanic
belonging to the genus {Phaethon}, found chiefly in
tropical seas. They are mostly white, and have two central
tail feathers very long and slender. The yellow-billed
tropic bird. {Phaethon flavirostris} (called also
{boatswain}), is found on the Atlantic coast of America,
and is common at the Bermudas, where it breeds.
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Boatswain \Boat"swain\, n. [Boat swain.]
1. (Naut.) An officer who has charge of the boats, sails,
rigging, colors, anchors, cables, cordage, etc., of a
ship, and who also summons the crew, and performs other
duties.
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2. (Zool.)
(a) The jager gull.
(b) The tropic bird.
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{Boatswain's mate}, an assistant of the boatswain. --Totten.
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