Birds of the South Orkney Islands. 159 



all were paired, and the appearance of an unpaired bird 

 gave rise to a fearful commotion, every bird trying to get a 

 billful of feathers from the unhappy one, while all the 

 Penguins in the vicinity raised their voices and screeched 

 their loudest. The appearance of such wanderers, too, 

 generally resulted in a free fight among those around, 



The nests were heaps of stones deliberately collected one 

 by one from far and near, even from under the snow. 

 They were hollowed in the centre, and lined with some bones 

 of their departed brethren, or with dropped tail-feathers 

 when procurable. Some of the birds sat on the snow until 

 it was thawed down to the stones beneath, and then set to 

 work to form an irregular hollow in which to lay their 

 eggs. A number of the nests became covered with snow, 

 in some cases a foot deep, and several were deserted in 

 consequence. The birds are accomplished thieves, and start 

 their knavish tricks as soon as nest-building commences, but 

 do not entirely desist when the young are hatched, though 

 they then practise them to a lesser extent. 



Three eggs are sometimes laid, but two is the usual 

 number, and not unfrequently one only. The first egg of 

 the season was found on October 29th, 1903. On the 31st, 

 739 were gathered on Delta I., which was covered with these 

 birds. Between November 2nd and 10th, 2075 eggs were 

 taken for domestic use, and as late as the 21st a number 

 were obtained from a small rookery in Scotia Bay. The 

 sitting bird incubates in a procumbent position, the mate 

 standing erect by her side. The period of incubation was 

 ascertained to vary from 31 to 33 days. 



This species is very bold as compared with the Gentoo, 

 and attacks fiercely anyone who enters the rookery. The 

 birds had always to be forcibly evicted from their nests if 

 the eggs were wanted. It was quite a business to go through 

 a rookery unless attired in long sea-boots, and even then 

 the birds sometimes got at the intruder unawares, taking a 

 running jump and fixing on his legs above the boot, whence 

 they were not easily shaken off. Other Penguins passing 

 the nests came in for violent assault, and some were seen 



