Birds of the South Orkney Islands. 149 



The Ringed Penguin, hitherto regarded as being nowhere 

 an abundant species, was found to have its metropolis at 

 the South Orkneys, where the summer population on Laurie I. 

 alone was estimated at not less than one million birds. 



The finding of the eggs of the familiar Cape Petrel 

 (hitherto unknown to science) and of the chicks and young 

 of the Ringed Penguin and the Snowy Petrel, the remarkable 

 extension of the known range of the Macaroni Penguin 

 (Catarrhactes chrysolophus) and of Fregetta melanoy aster 

 (which was undoubtedly breeding) were also among the 

 results of the summer's work. Eggs of Wilson's Petrei, 

 the Sheathbill, the Blue-eyed Shag [Phalacrocorax atriceps), 

 and other well-known Antarctic species were also obtained, 

 some of them in great abundance. The collection of bird- 

 skins, too, was largely augmented. 



The series of bird-skins is one of the most important 

 ever made in the Antarctic Seas. It comprises one hundred 

 and forty-three specimens, representing sixteen out of the 

 eighteen species now known to frequent the islands and their 

 immediate vicinity; while the eggs number several thousands. 

 Many of the skins afford additional information concerning 

 little-known phases in the plumage of several species, and 

 enable me to describe for the first time the young or imma- 

 ture stages of others, such as the Ringed Penguin, Shag, 

 Snowy Petrel, and so forth. 



Add to the above slight summary of the bird- work 

 accomplished the innumerable notes on and accounts of the 

 nidification and other habits of not a few little-known 

 species, and the investigations on their periods of incubation 

 and the dates of their arrival at and departure from their 

 summer-haunts, and we have an outline of the Ornithological 

 Results obtained by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedi- 

 tion at the South Orkneys — results of the first importance, 

 and meriting the full recognition, the sincere thanks, and 

 the most hearty congratulations of all interested in our 

 favourite science. 



On the return of the ' Scotia ' from the Ealklands, 

 the members of the Expedition, save Mr. Mossman and 



