Birds of the South Orkney Islands. 163 



rocks forming the breeding-ground. Here the Gentoos 

 occupied the lower and less favourable sites, and formed 

 a ring, as it were, round the Adelies. This was, no doubt, 

 due to the fact that many of them wandered about aimlessly 

 for some time ere commencing nesting, and thus allowed all 

 the more desirable sites to be occupied by the other species. 



The nest was a much better and larger structure of stones 

 than that of its congeners, P. adelice and P. antarctica, being 

 from seven to eight inches high, and containing some old 

 tail-feathers and a few bones. The birds, too, were cleaner 

 than the rest all through the season. They were, however, 

 great thieves, so far as pilfering nesting-materials was 

 concerned. 



On November 14th many of the nests became snowed up, 

 and some of the birds sat in more or less deep holes in the 

 snow ; many, too, were completely covered. 



The first eggs were laid on November 6th. They were 

 usually two in number, frequently only one, never three. 

 In shape tliey were very uniform, and rounder than those 

 of P. adelice. The period of incubation was found to vary 

 from thirty-one to thirty-five days. 



The birds are somewhat timid ; a few of those incubatiug 

 were bold enough to peck at human intruders, but the 

 majority ran off their nests when approached. They were a 

 little more courageous after the young were hatched, but 

 even then some of them deserted their chicks without making 

 any pretence at protection. They, however, fought fiercely 

 among themselves, using both wings and bills, giving some 

 hard smacks and sharp bites. 



The young birds did not commence to lose their down 

 until February 11th; but on one or two the white band 

 across the crown had already begun to shew itself, and the 

 neck to darken in colour. 



The collection of skins from the South Orkneys contains 

 specimens in all stages of plumage, and many eggs were 

 also obtained. 



The newly hatched chick is clad in silky down and is of an 

 olive-grey tint on the upper surface (darker, nearly black, on 



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