Skittish, a. Shy, easily frighted; wanton, volatile; changeable, fickle.
Skittle, s. A piece of wood like a sugar loaf used in the play of skittles.
Skittles, s. A game called ninepins.
Skua (Lestris catarractes, Temminck), s. A species of eagle.
This species is rather superior in size to the raven; weight three pounds; length two feet; the bill is an inch and three quarters long, black, and much hooked at the end; is covered, for more than half its length, with a kind of black cere; the upper part of the head, neck, back, and wings, deep brown; the feathers margined with ferruginous; about the forehead and chin tinged with ash-colour; the breast, and all beneath, pale dusky ferruginous; the quills are brown, white at the base; tail deep brown; roots and shafts white; the legs are black, rough, and scaly; talons black, strong, and much hooked.
This is a bold rapacious bird, and preys on the lesser gulls, as well as fish; it is said to attack the eagle, and even man, if he approaches their nest. It breeds in the Orkney Islands, and is much esteemed in the Isle of Foulah, from a supposition that it defends the flocks from the eagle: it is rarely seen in the south. One in the museum of Dr. Latham, was killed at Greenwich; and the only other instance we are furnished with, of this species being observed in the south of England, was shot at Sandwich, in Kent, in the winter of 1800.—Montagu.
Skulk, v. To hide, to lurk in fear or malice.
Skull, s. The bone that encloses the head; a shoal of fishes, herrings particularly.
Skycolour, s. An azure colour, the colour of the sky.
Skylark (Alauda arvensis, Linn.), s. A lark that mounts and sings.