Aves. 169 



The first specimen was procured by the latter in the ice-pack on 

 the 20th of January, 1899 {antea, p. 89). Two more were obtained 

 on the 26th (p. 90). This Skua was one of the species noticed on 

 landing at Cape Adare on the 17th of February (p. 93), and on the 

 3rd of March Mr. Hanson shot eighty-two specimens, as the birds 

 were becoming destructive to the stores of Seal and Penguin-meat. 

 As winter approached the Skuas became less plentiful, but fourteen 

 were shot on the 12th of March (p. 94). On the 26th of the month, 

 Mr. Hanson records the finding of two young birds "hardly 

 able to fly," at an altitude of 1,050 feet (p. 95). The species was 

 noticed in diminishing numbers throughout April up to the 20th, 

 when Mr. Hanson's diary mentions that none had been recently 

 seen (p. 98). 



Mr. Bull (Cruise of the 'Antarctic,' p. 182) speaks of the 

 mortality among the Penguins as frightful in Victoria Land, judging 

 by the number of skeletons and dead birds lying about in all 

 directions. At Cape Adare he says, " the raptorial Skua-Gull was 

 present, as everywhere in the neighbourhood of Penguin nurseries, 

 and was busily occupied with its mission in life, viz., the prevention 

 of over-population in the colony." 



Mr. Borchgrevink says that the Skuas were in great numbers on 

 the arrival of the Expedition at Cape Adare, but began to get scarce 

 in the middle of March (p. 105). On the 31st of October they returned, 

 and he shot five of them (p. 193). He writes :— " The worst enemy of 

 the Penguin is the Skua-Gull, which constantly soared over their nests, 

 watching for an opportunity when they might steal an egg or catch a 

 young one. As I already observed in 1895, 1 now also often saw two 

 of these birds attack a Penguin family ; whilst one kept the old ones 

 away, the other took the young one " (pp. 215, 216).^ The Skua-Gulls 

 arrived somewhat later than the Penguins, and their nesting also 

 took place later. They had their nests in the heights, for instance, 

 1 ,000 feet up on Cape Adare, amongst the rocks, while a small Skua 

 rookery was also to be found some fifty feet above the peninsula, 

 on a small rocky gallery close to the perpendicular wall of the Cape. 

 Their eggs were of a greyish brown, with dark brown stains. 

 Generally two eggs were found in each nest. The young ones were 

 exceedingly pretty in their fluffy coats of light grey down. The old 

 Skuas were very bold at ordinary times, and attacked us frequently 

 with wings and beak when we climbed the rocks, but when they had 

 young ones their indomitable courage and audacity surpassed that of 

 any other bird of prey I have seen " (p. 218). On November 20th he 



' kiee also Mr. Bull's account, anka, p. 12o. 



