32 Vallentin, Notes on the Falkland Islands. 



Procellaria ? I found several specimens of an 



unidentified species of Petrel dead on the ground on the 

 way to the Lighthouse soon after my arrival. I was 

 informed that quite a number of the same (?) species had 

 been similarly found a few weeks earlier. All these birds 

 had been killed by colliding with the single telegraph 

 wire. They were quite dried up and so were useless for 

 further study. 



Phalacrocorax magellanicus, " Shag." There was a 

 large rookery of this species within easy walking distance 

 of Stanley, and as it was near one of my favourite collecting 

 spots, I was able to visit it frequently. The nest of this 

 species is always made of red sea- weeds and various species 

 of hydroids ; kelp, by far the easiest weed to gather, 

 being for some reason always avoided. The nests were 

 placed together as closely as possible on the ledges of a low 

 cliff facing the ocean. The eggs are always of a greenish 

 white colour when fresh and clean ; and coated externally 

 with a. chalky white deposit which is frequently raised 

 into small blisters. Three eggs are usually laid in each 

 nest ; although once I observed five eggs present. They 

 measure from 59 to 61 mm. in length and from 38 to 39 

 mm. in breadth. Once I found in a nest of this species 

 in this rookery an egg of such unusual shape that I 

 consider it worth a separate description. This single egg 

 was oval in outline, with the smaller end bluntly pointed. 

 The colour externally is quite normal. It measures 

 68 mm. in length and 37 mm. in width. 



Phalacrocorax iniperialis. There is a fairly large 

 rookery of this species on West Point Island. The nests 

 are on a rocky hillside amid a colony of " Rockhoppers." 

 The most striking feature about them is the pale orange 

 red spot placed in front of the eyes. The eggs of this 

 species are of a very pale blue colour, and not quite so 



