180 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke on the 



MEGALESTRIS ANTARCTICA (LeSS.) . 



Megalestris antarctica Cat. B. xxv. p. 319. 



About five hundred Antarctic Great Skuas spend the 

 summer on Laurie I., taking up their quarters in the vicinity 

 of the Penguin-rookeries, where they revel among the eggs 

 and young of their neighbours. They were also observed 

 nesting in similar situations on Saddle I. 



During the southern autumn of 1903 they were seen 

 daily until the 28th of April, on which date the last bird 

 of the season was met with. They were entirely absent 

 during the winter months, and the first spring immigrants 

 were noted on October 16th. These were followed by a few 

 others on the 26th, after which they gradually became 

 abundant. 



On November 22nd two Skuas, presumably males, were 

 observed fighting fiercely, while a third was looking on, 

 evidently an interested spectator. The birds fought with 

 bills and claws for nearly an hour, when one of them became 

 quite exhausted ; and then the victor flew off with his bride, 

 and the vanquished was ruthlessly torn to pieces and 

 devoured by a Giant Petrel, which had been an interested 

 spectator of the fight. 



The first eggs were laid on December 2nd, and young birds 

 a week old were found on January 29th. By February 11th, 

 dark feathers were appearing on the wings and sides of the 

 breast of these youngsters. 



The period of incubation was not precisely ascertained, 

 but was believed to be about six weeks. 



In the spring of 1904 the Skuas returned on October 21st; 

 and the first eggs were found on November 27th (Mossman) . 



The nests were usually placed on the tops of mossy rocks, 

 or on plateaus from 100 to 400 feet above the sea, and 

 consisted of well-made hollows in the moss, while teased-out 

 fragments of moss formed the lining. Occasionally nests 

 were found on the tops of moraines and were then hollow r s 

 in the earth lined with lichens. 



The eggs were two in number, and on these the bird sat 

 very close, her mate usually remaining near at hand. When 



