THE BIRDS OF SOUTH GEORGIA 583 



nesting the birds behave in the usual tern manner if disturbed, rising on the wing 

 with harsh screams, hovering above, and even swooping at and pecking the head of the 

 visitor. They always thus betray the whereabouts of the colony, but if only they sat 

 still it would probably be passed unnoticed, for the birds are very hard to see as they 

 sit on the nest among the grey stones. If a Skua comes near the colony the birds fly 

 up and attack it fiercely. 



The eggs are hatched in December and early January, the nestling being clothed in 

 grey down with dark specklings, lighter below. The young soon leave the nest and 

 crouch among the stones near by. When the down is shed the head is speckled with 

 black and buff, and the upper parts are barred with the same colours. The throat 

 and breast are mottled with light brown and the belly is grey- white. The bill is black 

 and the iris brown. The feet and claws are black and the legs brown-black with a tinge 

 of red. 



The adults have the bill red with black tip, iris very dark brown, the feet dull red, 

 the toes darker and the legs lighter. 



Nettion georgicum, Gmel. 

 South Georgia Teal 



This species, peculiar to South Georgia, is common on the island but not abundant. 

 The German Expedition of 1882-3 (Pagenstecher, 1885, p. 13) found it in large 

 flocks as did Mr Erik Sorling in 1904-5 (Lonnberg, 1906, p. 66), but at the present 

 time it does not occur in such numbers. This is probably due to the fact that it is very 

 good for the table and has been continually shot for the pot since the island has been 

 resorted to by the whalers. In summer it frequents the tussac-covered plains, streams 

 and fresh water pools in the valleys, but in winter it is confined to the beach where it is 

 to be found in small flocks of about half-a-dozen birds. It feeds on small mollusca and 

 Crustacea. It is very hard to see the bird on the beach or amongst tussac, as the dull 

 brown plumage harmonizes very well with the background, but a slight movement of 

 the head and light yellow bill often draws one's attention to it. The flight is quick 

 and strong; on the wing they look much like European Teal. They produce a shrill 

 whistling cry. 



The nest is built among the tussac and lined with greyish down. It is placed so that 

 the hanging blades of the tussac at the edge of the clump conceal it. The yellowish 

 grey eggs are four or five in number, and are laid in the second half of November. 

 They are hatched in December and the young are covered with light brown down, 

 lighter below. They leave the nest at once and run about among the tussac, being very 

 agile in eluding capture. 



The bill of the adult has a central black stripe ; the front third is blue and the rest 

 yellow. The iris is light brown. The legs and toes are dark olive-green, the webs and 

 joints being darker, almost black. 



