brooks: FALKLAND ISLAND BIHDS. 



149 



;iii(l tlu'ir fondness i'or the eggs and downy yonng of penguins is well 

 known. 



They are very aggressi\e and often when no nests are in the vieinity 

 one or more skuas will circle al)out and swoop at one's head, though 

 oidy once was my head touched. However once was enough and 

 thereafter I would kill any l)ird taking liberties with me in this manner. 

 One cannot have a specimen exposed on the ground hut what a skua 

 will begin tearing it to pieces as soon as one has walked away a few 

 yards. 



Chionis ALBA (Gmelin). 



Snowy Sheathbill; "Kelp Pigeon, Snotty Beak". 



I only saw these extraordinary birds on two occasions, October 10, 

 and 17. shortly after which and before I ol)tained permission to collect 

 specimens they had disappeared, for the south no doubt. 



On the wing they suggest very strongly a pigeon or rock ptarmigan 

 in winter plumage. 



Singularly tame they will approach within a few feet of a person 

 standing on the beach and walk al)out gazing at one curiously. 



Those 1 saw were ciuite (juarrelsome among themselves and often 

 three or four would form a small circle and after a brief period of 

 bowing to each other would start a fight, the usual method being by 

 means of hard blows administered with the wings. 



Haematopus leucoptts Garnot. 

 ^ "Black and White ("urlcw". 



Almost every stony beach has a pair or more of oyster-catchers 

 residing: there, for in the Falklands the\- i)refer in most cases stonv to 

 sandy beaches. 



Early in October the eggs, two in number, are laid in a slight cavity 

 among loose stones and sand situated from a few feet above iiigh- 

 water mark to fifty or seventy-five yards. Fresh eggs were found on 

 October 10, and on tlie same date a set was taken in which incubation 

 had .started. 



The sitting bird leaves the nest at a signal from its mate on the beach 

 before one is within a hundred yards of the nest. Sometimes the 

 birds feign broken wings, at other times they walk slowly about close 



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