Birds of the South Orkney Islands. 1G1 



egg was found, and the first chick emerged on December 

 12th. 



The collections contain forty-five specimens, in all stages 

 of plumage, from the South Orkneys ; also a large number 

 of eggs. 



As the various stages of plumage of this species have been 

 carefully worked out from the material collected by the 

 ' Southern Cross ' Expedition, very little remains to be said 

 on the subject. I would remark, however, that of the thirty- 

 four adult specimens before me, obtained at all seasons, not 

 one resembles the figure of the adult bird on plate vii. of 

 the ' Southern Cross ' Collections. In all the South Orkney 

 specimens of this handsome species there is much less blue 

 on the back, where black is the predominant colour, and 

 the head and throat are almost entirely black, the feathers 

 of the head being merely tipped with blue. 



Immature birds shew more blue and less black on the 

 upper surface than adults. Some obtained in February, 

 and presumably about a year old, have the chin entirely 

 black and the throat a mixture of black and white. And 

 these same birds vary in the extent of the black apical spot 

 on the under surface of the wing : in some it is developed, in 

 others it is practically absent. This black apical spot cannot 

 be regarded as a sign of maturity, as some young birds 

 have it more developed than certain adults — indeed, one 

 white-chinned example has this spot more pronounced than 

 any other specimen in the collection. 



A fine albinistic male was captured on the south beach at 

 Laurie I. on January 11th, 1904. The plumage of its upper 

 surface is cream-coloured, washed with pale brown on the 

 hind-neck and crown ; the tail, wings, and under parts are 

 white, except the chin and throat, which are brown and 

 indicate that the example is an adult ; the bill and eyes Ave re 

 normal in colour ; and the feet pale on both surfaces. 



A series of measurements taken in the flesh, and of the 

 weights, revealed the fact that there was great diversity in 

 the size of the adults. The males varied in total length 

 from 28 to 331 inches, and their wings from 7.1 to 



SER. VIII. — VOL. VI. M 



