FLORA AND FAUNA 



our winter quarters. A little north of the pack the 

 Fulmar petrel and Antarctic petrel were fairly abun- 

 dant. In the northern waters of the Ross Sea we saw 

 a few giant petrels, snow petrels, and Wilson's stormy 

 petrels. On Ross Island the only flying bird was the 

 McCormick skua (Megalestris) which lived on fish 

 when there were no penguin eggs or chicks to devour. 

 The old name of Cape Evans was ''The Skuary" and 

 so these gulls were very common round our hut. It is 

 a large brown bird with a white patch on each wing. 

 It breeds all along South Victoria Land in hollows in 

 the rocks. Practically no nest is built, though I no- 

 ticed at Cape Geology a few feathers or moss in some 

 of the "nests." Two eggs are laid early in December, 

 which are brownish with darker splashes of color, but 

 only one chick is reared. On Cape Roberts early in 

 January, 191 2, we observed three nests of these gulls. 

 Two of the pairs of birds were disturbed by our 

 proximity, and simplified their home life by eating up 

 their own or each other's eggs. The third pair aban- 

 doned their dark little chicken, which we attempted to 

 feed, regretting the destruction we had caused. The 

 sledge poet recorded his end, as follows : 



So little Blackie reigned supreme, 

 Until one day when he was fed 



(By that kind and humane leader 

 Foster father, foster feeder) 

 On rich and tasty lumps of blubber. 

 His little tummy stretched like rubber, 

 Stretched too much — 



and now he's dead ! 

 211 



