Manchester Memoirs, Vol. xlviii. (1904), No. %%. 29 



construction of the nests had all the bark removed, and 

 some were quite polished by being constantly passed 

 through the birds' bills. These twigs and short branches 

 were laid in the roughest manner in this depression, there 

 being not the slightest attempt at architectural beauty ; 

 and after a height of 4 inches was reached, the whole was 

 pressed down by the weight of the sitting bird ; and later 

 it was cemented together by the surrounding soil brought 

 in from time to time adhering to their feet. When 

 nidification has commenced, the nest resembles in minia- 

 ture the crater of an extinct volcano, the rim being 

 raised about four inches above the surrounding soil. It 

 measures about 12 inches in diameter, and 2\ inches deep 

 inside. I am inclined to imagine that one reason the 

 Gentoos shift their breeding grounds occasionally is due 

 to the surrounding soil becoming saturated with animal 

 matter, and also perhaps to the diddle-dee bushes dying 

 away, owing to their being constantly trampled over by 

 the passing birds. I was particularly impressed by 

 observing that these Penguins in one section of this 

 rookery had quite recently settled down and made their 

 nests in the middle of a dense growth of diddle-dee bushes. 

 In this instance the nests were easily made. The couples 

 having chosen a dense bush, soon trampled it down, and 

 with the aid of a little mud, a rough but easily constructed 

 nest was ready for occupation. As one would readily 

 gather from reading this, the chalky-white eggs laid by 

 this species at once become soiled, and coated with the 

 same evil-smelling filth that surrounds the rookery. The 

 eggs, two in number, are almost oval in outline, and when 

 examined by transmitted light are seen to be light blue 

 in colour, and quite smooth. They measure from Gj to 

 72 mm. in length, and from 58 to 62 mm. in breadth. 



It was a pretty sight to observe these birds run to the 



