THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA 



S6S 



cliffs, but on the sloping and level ground above them. Always, however, they nest 



near a steep slope or cliff so that they can have a good "take-off" for getting on the 



wing, as they are unable to rise into the air off the level. 



The nest is a bulky structure built of mud, tussac, and 



peaty moss up to a height of half a metre, and is 



about a metre across. The sides are sloping and there 



is a shallow depression on the top in which the egg is 



laid. The nest is built by the materials being laid 



down in a heap and trodden down by the large 



webbed feet of the birds, no interweaving of the 



materials taking place. As the young one grows the 



nest gets trodden down more and more so that it gets 



much flattened out, and new materials are added to it 



from time to time during the occupation of the young. 



For instance, in Coal Harbour in September, 1925, 



nests were found with blades of tussac newly laid on 



top of them, though the snow was level with the top of 



the nests and in many cases was above them. The young 



had occupied these nests for about eight months. 



In the breeding season, before and after pairing takes ^ ^ 

 place, the albatross go through an elaborate courtship. 

 In all cases the courtship ceremonies are the same, but 

 before pairing takes place several males and one female 

 take part, whereas after pairing it is confined to the one 

 male and female. After the egg is laid and incubation 

 has started the courting is discontinued, though the 

 birds of each pair still show a great affection for one , 

 another. In courting before pairing several males gather 



around one female and bow to her, bringing the head showing plumages intermediate between 

 close down to the ground. As they do this they utter a the cMonoptera and exulans stages. 

 harsh groaning sound, and the female bows and groans Sketched from hving birds on the nests, 

 back at them. After several bows the males open the wings to about half their extent 

 and side-step around her. They then edge into a position so that they are directly facing 

 her and open the wings to their widest extent so that the tips of the primaries are 

 raised above the level of the head and are curved forwards towards the female. At the 

 same time the males raise the head so that the bill points straight up into the sky, 

 and give vent to a loud braying cry. They then close the wings and start all over 

 again. Several males do this at the same time around the one female, but they do not 

 all act in unison so that unless they are watched carefully one gets the impression of 

 half a dozen male birds dancing round the female and going through a series of 

 haphazard actions, but one finds that they all adhere to the same course of action 

 if attention is directed to each in turn. 



Fig. I. Diomedea exulans. Diagram 



