THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA S77 



Thalassoeca antarctica, Gmel. 



Antarctic Petrel 



This species was not observed at South Georgia, neither was it seen by the German 

 Expedition of 1882-3, "O'' by the Swedish South Polar Expedition in 1902. Several 

 were seen and one was shot, six miles off the north-east coast, by Mr Erik Sorling, a 

 collector from the Natural History Museum of Stockholm, on August ist, 1905 

 (Lonnberg, 1906, p. 82). 



Oceanites oceanicus, Kuhl 

 Wilson's Petrel 



This little petrel is a summer visitor and breeds in very large numbers on South 

 Georgia. It is to be seen in flocks at sea off the island from November to May, and 

 in small numbers near the whaling stations from November to February. In February 

 and March it comes into the whaling stations in incredible numbers, so that the water 

 is sometimes black with them, and stays till May. At sea it feeds on plankton and at 

 the whaling stations on floating oil globules and fat particles, hovering over the water 

 and continually dipping the feet in as it picks up its food. It is almost always on the 

 wing, and is but rarely seen to settle for a few moments on the water. 



It lays its egg in crevices of the cliffs and amongst the stones of screes. No nest is 

 made but the same burrow is returned to year after year, so that a quantity of debris — 

 feathers, dead young and so on — is accumulated on which the egg is laid. The eggs 

 are difficult to obtain, as those in the cliffs are usually inaccessible, and among the 

 screes they are so far in that it is often impossible to remove enough stones without 

 causing a land slide. The sitting bird makes a low whistling cry which is very difficult 

 to locate. Ai dusk the birds flit about near the entrance to the nesting hole and produce 

 a harsh grating noise. The eggs are laid in early December and both sexes take part in 

 incubation. When captured the birds squirt from the mouth and nostrils a dark red 

 oil with an evil odour. They are unable to stand with the tarsi erect and shuffle in and 

 out of the burrows with the whole length of them on the ground. 



The bill, feet and legs are black, and there is a bright yellow patch in the webs. 

 The iris is dark brown. 



Fregatta melanogaster, Gould 



Black-Bellied Storm Petrel 



This species was not seen at South Georgia, though a sharp look-out was kept for 

 it, as it is easily confused with Wilson's Petrel when on the wing. The German Expedi- 

 tion of 1882-3 (Von der Steinen, 1890, p. 208) found it breeding at Royal Bay, and 

 collected an egg and a skin. Since then it has not been recorded from the island. 



