242 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



Laurie Island as a summer resort did not exceed some three hundred birds. It was also 

 observed at Saddle Island in the late summer, and had apparently been breeding there. 

 The chief nesting-haunts on Laurie Island were at Point Davis on the south coast 

 and Urutniav Cove on the north. At each of these places about a dozen nests were 



O ./ J- 



found. Elsewhere it was found less abundantly, mostly in isolated pairs, all round 

 the coast. 



The Southern Black-backed Gull was one of the few species that was observed all the 

 year round, for some of them braved the severities of the winter, and were seen more 

 or less frequently in the neighbourhood of the Expedition's winter-quarters at 

 Scotia Bay. 



The return of the spring immigrants commenced in mid-October. The birds were 

 seen pairing on November 3rd. and the first eggs were laid on November 15th (on the 

 23rd in 1904 (Mossman)). The first young are mentioned under the date of December 

 26th, and are described as being then about a week old. Fresh eggs marked on 

 December 3rd were found chipped on the 28th, indicating an incubation-period of about 

 twenty-five days. Young still in down were observed as late as January 30th, 1904. 



The nests were placed on raised beaches, small screes, and rocks within a few yards 

 of the shore. The nest was a well-built structure of seaweeds, mosses, lichens, and 

 feathers ; and was usually surrounded by great quantities of limpet-shells, this mollusc 

 being evidently a favourite food of the bird. The eggs were usually two in number, 

 but sometimes three were found, and occasionally only one. 



On April 15th Messrs Bruce, Pirie, and Wilton saw an entirely white gull, re- 

 sembling in all other respects this species, of which it may have been an albino 

 specimen ; and on September 21st an almost white example of this gull was seen, in 

 which the wings and upper surface were much lighter than usual. 



The collection contains skins of this species in various stages of plumage, and a 

 number of eggs. 



Megalestris antarctica (Less.). 

 Meyalestris antarctica Cat. 1!., xxv. p. 319. 



About five hundred Antarctic Great Skuas spend the summer on Laurie Island, 

 taking up their quarters in the vicinity of the penguin-rookeries, where they revel 

 among the eggs and young of their neighbours. They were also observed nesting in 

 similar situations on Saddle Island. 



During the southern autumn of 1903 they were seen daily until the 28th of April, 

 on which date the last bird of the season was met with. They were entirely absent 

 during the winter months, and the first spring immigrants were noted on October 16th. 

 These were followed by a few others on the 26th, after which they gradually became 

 abundant. 



On November 22nd two skuas, presumably males, were observed fighting fiercely ^ 

 while a third was looking on, evidently an interested spectator. The birds fought with 



