52 ZOOLOGICAL LOG OF THE SCOTIA 



Brown found the gentoos nesting ; their nests are larger than those of the adelias, and 

 they not only contain more stones, but also old tail feathers and a few bones. The 

 adelias were seen scooping out holes in their stone heaps, as if preparatory to laying. 



Oct. 27th. Paddies, nellies, black-backed gulls, snowy petrels, skuas and black- 

 throated penguins have been seen. No one has been out much, and these birds were 

 seen from the ship and the house on shore. 



Oct. 28th. Mr Bruce paid a visit to the nearer penguin rookery ; no eggs yet. 

 The gentoos were also nesting there. He also saw a gull's nest. Nellies, including a 

 white one, black-backed gulls, snowy petrels and paddies have been seen. A batch of 

 penguins was observed on the floe near to the house. Pirie described the tern's nest 

 as being mostly composed of limpet shells. 



Mr Bruce and I each shot a skua. 



Oct. 29th. Mr Bruce got the first (black-throated) penguin's egg this morning 

 from the small penguin rookery, and about a dozen were got in the afternoon by Brown 

 and Pirie from the other rookeries. These are the first eggs that the penguins have 

 laid, and they were only to be secured after a careful search through the rookeries. 

 A Cape pigeon, paddies, penguins, black-backed gulls, nellies and snowy petrels were 

 seen during the day. A batch of about twenty penguins was seen moving towards 

 the North Beach about 4.30 P.M., all going in Indian file, and paddling along the snow 

 on their breasts and bellies, by means of their feet and flippers. 



Davidson shot three seals, one female and two males, about two months old, 

 all Weddells. 



Brown found several specimens of a small acariuid among the moss on the slopes of 

 Mossmau Peninsula. 



Oct. 30th. A number of eggs were secured from the penguin rookeries. Usual 

 birds seen. 



Oct. 3lst. 1903. 1 This morning 709 eggs of the adelia penguin were gathered at 

 the large penguin rookery, but the majority of birds have not laid yet. 



In four cases I saw two eggs in a nest, and a like number was seen in three other 

 nests. Most of the eggs were very dirty ; generally speaking, only the new-laid ones are 

 clean. As a rule, the birds lie down on their eggs and defend them valiantly, but some 

 more timid ones retreat and leave their eggs to their fate. Skuas were seen hovering 

 incessantly over the rookery, about three to ten feet above the birds, or at times 

 sitting still on some high position or outstanding rock near by. The penguins scream 

 defiantly when the skuas approach too near. I saw a skua making off with a whole 

 egg in his mouth, and he refused to drop it, even on my chasing him, before he took to 

 wing. The gentoos have not yet laid, and are as timid as ever. Paddies also seen 

 about the rookery. 



In the afternoon, Johnnie Smith brought in a penguin whose leg had been broken 



1 During the absence "of D. W. Wilton en a sledge expedition this log was kept by E. N. Rudmose 

 Brown until Nov. 26th. 



