THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA 



By L. Harrison Matthews, m.a. 

 (Plates XLV-LVI) 



THE following notes comprise a complete list of the birds of South Georgia, including 

 the observations made in 1925-7 while the 'Discovery' investigations were in 

 progress, and the records of previous expeditions. As all the species are known 

 ones, with few exceptions no descriptions of the plumages are given, but notes of 

 the soft parts, which shrivel up and change colour in the preparation of specimens, 

 are included. Most of the species are oceanic, one or two are land birds, and a few 

 are peculiar to the island. The presence of several whaling stations on the island 

 attracts great numbers of birds, which come to feed on the refuse from the working-up 

 of the whales. This easy supply of food leads to overpopulation of the island during 

 the summer, so that there are more birds of some species than the island could naturally 

 support. In winter, when whaling ceases, large numbers die of starvation. The 

 appropriately named Bird Island, and the Willis Islands off the north-west coast 

 afford breeding grounds to immense numbers of birds. 



Diomedea exulans, Linn. 



Wandering Albatross 



(Plate XLVIII; Plate XLIX; Plate L, fig. i.) 



The Wandering Albatross is common at sea all round the island during the whole 

 year. Ashore it is found nesting at suitable places on the northern parts of the island 

 from the Bay of Isles, on the north-east coast, to Ice Fjord, on the south-west coast. 

 Shackleton also found young albatross, presumably of this species, when he landed 

 in King Haakon Bay after his boat journey from the South Orkney Islands in 1916. 

 On their breeding grounds the albatross are very numerous, for instance the writer 

 was out with one of the whale-boats in January, 1926, when in three days over 2000 

 eggs of this species were collected for eating. At sea the birds are not gregarious, but 

 many are often seen near each other resting on the water or soaring over it. On land 

 they are very ungainly and walk with a waddling gait, the head being held low down, 

 stretched out in front, and moved from side to side with each step. As soon as they 

 stop walking the head is held up again. If they are hurried the wings are spread, 

 but their balance is precarious and they easily trip up and fall forward on to the breast 

 over the smallest obstructions. The wing spread is so wide that they cannot rise from 

 level ground unless a strong wind is blowing. On the nests they are quite tame and 

 fearless, merely snapping the bill when approached and they can be stroked if they 

 are handled gently, but a sudden movement makes them bite severely. 



