THE HEART OF THE ANTARCTIC 



ing instinct. It was kept up while sitting on the eggs, 

 and if at a late stage they lost their eggs or young, they 

 reverted to the heaping of stones, which they did in a half- 

 hearted way. Unmated birds occupied the fringe of the 

 rookery, and amused themselves piling and stealing till 

 the chicks began to hatch out. 



After the two eggs were laid the males appeared to do 

 most of the work. At any hour the males predominated, 

 a very few pairs were at the nests, and reheving guard 

 was rarely noticed. The females were never seen in the 

 majority. Those which had been recently down to feed 

 could be recognised by the fresh Crustacea round the nests. 

 J udging by this sign, it would seem that some birds never 

 leave the nest to feed during the whole period of incuba- 

 tion. Many birds lost their mates through the occasional 

 breaking loose of a dog. These birds couldn't leave the 

 nests. 



Rearing the Chicks 



The rookery is most interesting after the chicks arrive. 

 Many curious things happen as they grow. The young 

 chicks are silvery or slaty-grey, with darker heads, which 

 are for the first day or so heavy and hang down helplessly. 

 As soon as they are hatched the mothers take equal share 

 in tending them, whatever they may have been doing before 

 that. For some weeks the nest cannot be left untended 

 or the chicks would perish of cold or fall victims to the 

 skuas. The parents keep regular watches, going down in 

 turn to feed, and reheving guard is an interesting cere- 

 mony. The bird just arrived from the sea hurries to the 

 nest. It is anxious to see the chick, and to feed it; the 

 other is unwilling to resign, but at last reluctantly gets 

 off the nest, evidently very stiff, stretches itself, and hangs 

 about for a while before going down to the sea. 



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