68 “TERRA NOVA” EXPEDITION. 
Jan. Ist.—10a.m., both at nest. 
12 noon, both at nest: the youngster complicating matters by 
running away every time he was passed by the observer, thus 
getting himself and his parents embroiled with their neighbours. 
2 p.m. Hen on nest: cock gone. 
= 2nd.—10a.m. Hen on nest. 
12 noon. Chick disappeared. 
2p.m. Nest deserted. 
4p.m. Cock on nest: no chick. 
xs 3rd.—Cock on nest, with chick. 
From the above table it will be seen that the hen was not relieved by the cock 
until a fortnight after she had laid her egg, so that she must have been without food 
fora month. Then she left, and only returned to relieve the cock after the lapse of 
another fortnight, it being worth remembering that each was absent for the same 
length of time. 
On the appearance of the chick, a different régime began, the chick having to be 
fed, and journeys made at regular intervals for the purpose of getting food. All over 
the rookery, as the young birds appeared, there was a marked change in the appearance 
of the parents as they came up from the water. 
Hitherto they had been merely remarkable for their spotless plumage, in contrast 
to their former dirty state, but now their shape too was greatly altered, for their meals, 
in place of merely satisfying their own individual wants, had now to provide for the 
offspring as well, and they were in consequence so distended with their heavy load of 
Euphausia that they were obliged to lean back to counterbalance the weight of their 
bellies that bulged before them as they walked. Frequently they would find to their 
cost that they had attempted too much, and overcome by the labour of their journey 
over the rough ground, they would be sick, depositing the whole load on the ground, and 
having perforce to return to the sea for more. Little red heaps of mashed and partly 
digested Huphausia were consequently to be seen about the rookery. Once I saw a 
diligent parent, who, having actually arrived at the nest, could not contain himself 
long enough for the chicks to help themselves in the manner common to them—of 
thrusting their heads down his throat—and vomited the meal on to the ground. Seeing 
what was coming, I had my camera ready, and one of my photographs, not here 
reproduced, represents him in the act. The dismay shown by the hen, when she 
saw what was taking place, is indicated plainly by her expression. 
Neither chicks nor adults ever attempt to eat food of any sort from the ground, 
the chicks always feeding directly from the throat of the parent (Pl. VIII), and 
the adults always from the water, and hence these little heaps of vomited food are 
invariably wasted. 
Near our hut was a scrap heap, on which were thrown remains of all kinds of 
food, and the penguins’ hatred of the skuas (Pl. IX) was well shown here. 
