26 Vallentin, Notes on the Falkland Islands. 



unless a lucky shot should penetrate the brain. After an 

 interval of a few minutes the bird again dives. I have 

 found it most difficult to satisfy my mind how long a 

 specimen of this species can remain under water ; I 

 believe ninety seconds is the usual time these birds 

 remain submerged. 



The eggs, which are laid early in November, are 

 invariably two in number. They are oval in outline, and 

 almost smooth. It is difficult to tell exactly what 

 is the precise colour of the egg of this and the two follow- 

 ing species, owing to the soiled condition in which one 

 always finds them in the nests ; these birds having no 

 idea of what is politely termed " sanitary arrangements." 

 A newly laid egg, having been gently wiped with a clean 

 damp cloth, has a bluish tinge on the exterior, but this tint 

 is much more pronounced on the interior. The exterior 

 surface of the t^'g is chalky, and frequently .bears scratches 

 made by the nails of the parents. Dimensions of o^gg 

 72 X 55 mm. This species takes about thirtj' days to 

 hatch out. The newly hatched birds are almost black, 

 and very pretty little things. 



Eiidyptes chrysocome, " Rockhopper." I have already, 

 in a general description of my trip to West Point Island, 

 given a detailed account of the breeding places of this 

 species. Towards the close of my visit to the Falklands, 

 I made a visit to a very large rookery of this species 

 placed on the southern shore of Berkley Sound. This 

 breeding place was located on the sides of a natural 

 amphitheatre, and measured about 200 yards across, and 

 was about 150 feet in height. A stream of fresh water 

 ran down the centre, roughly dividing the rookery 

 into two parts, and falling into a large natural basin 

 which was in communication with the sea by a passage 

 about twenty feet wide. Here the birds could easily land 



