

Birds of the South Orkney Islands. 179 



and the numbers visiting Laurie I. as a summer resort did 

 not exceed some three hundred birds. It was also observed 

 at Saddle I. in the late summer, and had apparently been 

 breeding there. 



The chief nesting-haunts on Laurie I. were at Point Davis 

 on the south coast and Uruguay Cove on the north. At each 

 of these places about a dozen nests were found. Elsewhere it 

 was found less abundantly, mostly in isolated pairs, all round 

 the coast. 



The Southern Black-backed Gull was one of the few species 

 that was observed all the year round, for some of them 

 braved the severities of the winter, and were seen more or 

 less frequently in the neighbourhood of the Expedition's 

 winter-quarters at Scotia Bay. 



The return of the spring immigrants commenced in mid- 

 October. The birds were seen pairing on November 3rd, 

 and the first eggs were laid on November 15th (on the 23rd 

 in 1904 (Mossman)) . The first young are mentioned under 

 the date of December 26th, and are described as being then 

 about a week old. Fresh eggs marked on December 3rd were 

 found chipped on the 28th, indicating an incubation-period 

 of about 25 days. Young still in down were observed as 

 late as January 30th, 1904. 



The nests were placed on raised beaches, small screes, and 

 rocks within a few yards of the shore. The nest was a well- 

 built structure of seaweeds, mosses, lichens, and feathers; 

 and was usually surrounded by great quantities of limpet- 

 shells, this mollusk being evidently a favourite food of the 

 bird. The eggs were usually two in number, but sometimes 

 three were found, and occasionally only one. 



On April 15th Messrs. Bruce, Pirie, and Wilton saw an 

 entirely white Gull, resembling in all other respects this 

 species, of which it may have been an albino specimen; 

 and on September 21st an almost white example of this 

 Gall was seen, in which the wings and upper surface were 

 much lighter than usual. 



The collection contains skins of this species in various 

 stages of plumage and a number of eggs. 



n2 



