ON THE BIRDS OF THE SOUTH ORKNEY ISLANDS. 235 



inches wide and two feet deep. It was the only one found which was open enough to 

 permit of a photograph being taken, and then only under particular circumstances 

 as to time. At about 7 a.m. the sun shone for a few minutes directly into the crack, 

 and it was during those moments that this unique picture was secured. 



Eight eggs average 33'7 x 24 mm. The largest is 36 x 24 mm., and the smallest is 

 32 x 23 mm. 



Fregetta melanoyaster (Gould). 

 Cymodroma mdanogaster Cat. B., xxv. p. 364. 



On December 5th Dr Pirie discovered a pair of unknown petrels. He heard a low 

 whistling sound proceeding from a crevice in a rock on the east side of Uruguay Cove, 

 Laurie Island, and about fifteen feet above the sea, and on climbing up found what he at 

 first thought to be a pair of Wilson's Petrels, and managed to secure the female. Two 

 eggs, badly broken in the endeavour to capture the birds, were found near the mouth 

 of the crack one of them obviously of a previous season, the other deeply incubated. 



On examining the captured bird it was at once evident that it was not a specimen 

 of Oceanites oceanicus, for it had entirely black feet, had white on the under surface, 

 the feathers of the back slightly edged with white, a longer and more hooked mandible, 

 and strongly upturned nasal tubes. On the return of the Expedition, I found this bird 

 to be an example of Fregetta melanogaxter the Black-bellied Storm-Petrel. 



The dimensions of the egg secured were 3 '60 x 2 '5 5 cm., and correspond with those 

 of F. vnelanogaster, from the Falklands and Kerguelen, in the British Museum collec- 

 tion. The locality was again visited in the hope that the escaped bird might be found. 

 It was not there, however, nor were other individuals of this species observed elsewhere 

 in the islands. 



The occurrence of this species is one of the most interesting ornithological dis- 

 coveries made by the Expedition. It implies a remarkable extension in its known 

 range, and removes the doubt which has hitherto overshadowed (cf. Antarctic Manual, 

 p. 228) the record of its having bred at South Georgia, as mentioned by Pagenstecher 

 (Die Vogel Siid-Georgiens, p. 18, 1885), in the southern summer of 1882-1883. 



Thalassceca antarctica (Gm.). 



Thalatsceca antarctica Cat. B., xxv. p. 392. 



A few examples only of the Antarctic Fulmar were seen at the South Orkneys; but 

 it is thought by the members of the Expedition that it may possibly have bred on the 

 east side of the Ferguslie Peninsula, along with the Cape and Snowy Petrels, in the 

 summer of 1903. 



A number of these birds were seen in the previous autumn when the Scotia 

 was between Saddle Island and Cape Bennet, the northern limit of Powell Island, on 

 March 23rd, 1903. Several were again observed on the following day in Leathwaite 

 Strait, between Coronation Island and Powell Island. 



VOL. IV. 5 



