THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA 575 



does so in the South Orkney Islands, judging by the number seen in that neighbourhood 

 in January, 1926. The Swedish South Polar Expedition found it nesting in Louis 

 Phillipe Land. Occasionally examples are seen in the fjords of South Georgia among 

 the flocks of Cape Pigeons round the whaling stations. They have also been noticed, 

 with Cape Pigeons, pecking at sea elephant blubber as it was lying in the water alongside 

 a sealing vessel in King Haakon Bay. 



The bill is pink, with the base blue and tip brown-black. The feet are pinkish grey 

 with some black scales on the toes and the claws brown-black, the outer side of the 

 middle one being white. The iris is dark brown (Plate XLV, figs. 7 and 8). 



Pagadroma nivea, Gmel. 



Snow Petrel 



(Plate XLV, figs. 9, 10) 



The Snow Petrel is frequently seen off South Georgia, especially in the winter, when 

 it occasionally comes into the fjords. The German Expedition of 1882-3 (Pagen- 

 stecher, 1885, p. 21) records it as breeding on the island in inaccessible rock crevices 

 in the mountains near the sea. The writer has found no sign of it breeding in South 

 Georgia, though a sharp look-out has been maintained. Places similar to those it uses 

 for nesting in at the South Orkneys are to be found at the south-east end, and on the 

 south coast of the island, but they are difficult of access. 



The bill is black; feet grey with darker toes and claws. The iris is very dark brown 

 (Plate XLV, figs. 9, 10). The stomach of one shot at Grytviken in July, 1925, contained 

 a reddish yellow oil that solidified to a waxy consistency when cool. 



Daption capensis, Linn. 



Cape Pigeon 



(Plate LII, fig. 4; Plate LIII, fig. i) 



The Cape Pigeon is always common at South Georgia, flocking in hundreds of 

 thousands to the whaling stations to feed on the refuse (Plate LII, fig. 4, and Plate LIII, 

 fig. i). It has never been found breeding on the island, though it may do so in some 

 suitable spots on the south coast that resemble its breeding places in the South Orkneys. 



At sea it feeds on small planktonic animals and carrion, and soon collects in numbers 

 to feed on the blood when a whale is killed. At the whaling stations it pecks at the 

 whales and pieces of meat that fall into the water, and can dive to a depth of three or 

 four feet to regain a morsel that is sinking. The wings are used in diving. At the whaling 

 stations it also eats the small globules of oil and particles of fat floating on the water, 

 and when doing so the method which it uses in feeding on planktonic animals can be 



