them still unfledged, and probably they would 

 perish in consequence, whereas, being hatched in the 

 early spring, they are fostered by their parents until 

 the warmer weather begins, and then have the 

 entire summer in which to accomplish their change 

 of plumage. 



The only Emperor rookery known to man at the 

 present day was discovered by Lieuts. Royds and 

 Skelton, of Captain Scott's first Antarctic expedition, 

 on the sea-ice beneath Cape Crozier. Here in the 

 dark days of July this extraordinary bird lays its 

 one egg upon the ice. 



In the winter of 1911 a very brave journey was 

 made to this spot by a party of Captain Scott's 

 officers, consisting of Dr. Wilson, Lieut. Bowers 

 and Mr. Cherry- Garrard. The experiences of this 

 little band were so terrible that it is remarkable 

 they ever returned to tell of them. Temperatures 

 of 78 F. were encountered, and the most severe 

 blizzards at lower temperatures than any sledging- 

 party had yet endured. Under these truly terrible 

 conditions the Emperors lay their eggs and hatch 

 their young. 



The mortality under such circumstances is very 

 high, as one would expect. Avalanches of ice fall 

 from the cliffs above, crushing many of the parent 



135 



