\\1MKR QUARTERS, SCOTIA BAY. 1903 57 



A r or. l.VA. I marked the ne\\ laid .-ug.. 'it tin- -1111111 rook, i I. _* <f tin- Nth 

 have all a second one Ix-ide them IM-U : ;i l>-\\ f tin- l.'ttli al-<> liuvr. <lnc l> nt"" i- 

 sitting "ii fmir egg-, Iw " "' which ' I'" 1 '"'" ''- '"-' 



Tlir -kua- an- playini: r-at IKIM..-. particularly ainoii" tin- ncntoo-. and many neat* 

 IUIM- l-t cu_'- -iii'-- ye-tcrda\. .1. ie Kay and I'm^nay < '<>ve are open a-jain. and 

 iii.inx penguin- arc truvcllim.: in and fro L-t \\cen the water and the sinnll rookery. A 

 few ringed ]>ciiL r uiii- alxiiit tin- HM-. Tlirri- more terns' eggs were obtained near the hig 

 rook'-rx . and I ^<>t two gulls' eggs at Point Davis. The gulls' nests are of lichen and 

 moss on any Hat OJK I II rock ; none of them were more than twenty feet above sea-level. 

 Tli. ' -- i- \i-r\ like the tern's in colour and shape but browner, and some three to 

 four tinii- a- large. There was one egg in each nest. The gulls Hew away on my 

 approach and settled on a near snow-hill until 1 left. (None. Kggs were probably 

 obtained there yesterday by a meinl>er of the crew, which makes the date of gull's first 

 laying not later than Nov. 1 4th.) Terns an- building at the same point, but have not 

 laid v-t. (MI!!'- rim. : ' inchr- by 1 '!J inches, and 3 ounces in weight. 



Skua- MTV niiiiKToii-. jMiitii-ularly near the ship and on the North Beach. A few 

 nellic- al-o -ecu. 'I dn-, -nowies and jwuldies. 



I'irir found a paddy'- nest near the big rookery, but no eggs. There are also Cape 

 pigc'in- nc-t ing there as well a.s a pair of Wilson's petrels. Several young seals near 

 the big rookery and two adults at Point Davis. Two much scarred adult Ijottodoiut 

 seen near the big rookery. 



A r oi'. 16th. A nelly shot at the house and several others seen during the day. 

 < )ver twenty skuas at the ship and about eight black-lmcked gulls as well as several 

 paddic-. Terns and snowy petrels also seen. Adelia, gentoo and ringed penguins on 

 the Hoc, particularly gentoo. I visited the small rookery as usual. Many of the 

 gentoo nc-t- an- alino-t -nowcd up except for the space kept clear by the heat of the 

 bird's body. T\v> \ tlnvc nc-t- more exposed than the others are completely snowed 

 up, and the gentoo- In-longing to them arc homeless. 



The sledge sent to the camp with provisions this morning returned with Cape 

 pigeons, snowy petrels and ringed penguin- for skeletons, and some specimens from 

 Macdougall Bay and Brown's Hay. including a compound a-cidi.-m and a small crab. 



Nor. 17th. Skuas in munlx-i-, a few nellie- and gulls, and three or four paddies 

 alx>ut the ship. A few terns seen. Got two terns' eggs beyond the big rookery and 

 al-o a gull's egg which, however, was unfortunately broken. I visited the small 

 rookery and marked the new-laid eggs. Birds who laid their first egg on the 13th, and 

 most of those who did so on the 14th, have now a second egg. Many empty egg-shells 

 lying about tell the story of the skuas' raids. At the big rookery I saw a skua swoop 

 down within three feet of me and seize an uncovered egg and Hy oH' with it. 

 II. -tiled down some twenty yards ofl', put down the egg, cracked it with a bite and 

 -ii'-ked out the content-. Meantime a -econd skua, probably his mate, -at by and 

 looked on a- if waiting her chance for a taste. Paddies too seen in various places on 



H 



