Section III. The Falkland Islands. 

 By L. N. G. RAMSAY, M.A., B.Sc. 



THE Falkland Islands were visited on three occasions by the Scotia, namely : January 

 6th-January 26th, 1903 ; December 2nd-December 9th, 1903 ; January 3 1 st-February 

 9th, 1904. Dr Bruce had also previously visited these interesting islands in December 

 1892 and February 1893. 



As the Scotia neared them for the first time, " in the cold grey dawn the 

 low, bleak, treeless, but grassy land looked very like some parts of the north of 

 Scotland." 



" Vast stretches of undulating moorland, interspersed with peat-bogs and swamps, 

 constitute the general type of country, unless where the land rises into rocky ridges, or 

 higher into jagged hills. In place of heather, the ' diddle-dee ' (Empetrum rubrum), 

 a close ally of our blaeberry, grows in prolific abundance, clothing the moorland for 

 miles and miles, and each in its own particular haunt various kinds of sedges flourish. 

 The absence of trees on the islands is very noticeable." * 



Although there was much to keep the staff occupied during these visits, apart from 

 scientific pursuits, a number of excursions were made, and a considerable number of 

 birds were collected. 



The Scotia's collection of birds' skins includes twenty species, represented by sixty- 

 five skins, from the Falklands. Several other species were also observed. All have 

 been recorded as occurring in the Falklands by previous writers. 



Tachyeres cinereus (Gm.). Two specimens of the flightless "Steamer-duck" or 

 " Loggerhead " were brought home. They were seen in numbers on all three visits. 

 In December 1903 some of the birds had families of ducklings with them. 



A number of the eggs of this bird are included in a collection of birds' eggs which 

 Mr Thomson and Mr Coulson, jun., of Cape Pembroke lighthouse, kindly presented to 

 the naturalists of the Expedition. These eggs measure 3 '25 by 2 '25 inches, and are 

 pale creamy buff in colour. 



Chloephaga, hybrida (Mol.). These birds were also seen on all three visits, and 

 seven skins are in the collection (three adult males, one immature male, and three 

 females). 



The eggs, if the specimens are correctly named, are hardly distinguishable in size and 

 colour from those of the Loggerhead. 



Nycticorax tayazu-guira (Vieil. ). Two specimens of the " King-quawk," as it is 



* R. N. Rudmose Brown, The Voyage of the "Scotia," p. 196. 

 VOL. IV. 211 2 



