PEGASUS—THE GIANT PETREL 97 
stairs by which each individual climbs, his own 
particular companion-ladder; or it may be that 
this little southernmost community, subsisting on 
fish and never venturing far from the sea that 
nourishes it, is really of Penguin affinity. Thus 
viewed, the perpendicular ladders may be con- 
sidered simply as modifications of the original 
Penguin habit of leaping when about to land, 
directly upwards from the ocean. 
We had heard of a small outlying colony of 
Giant Petrel or Nellies on an islet in the harbour. 
Before therefore proceeding south we determined 
to visit the spot—Nellie Island it is called. Even 
approximately correct local information about 
birds is so rare that it was gratifying to discover 
that the reports concerning the Giant Petrel were 
comparatively correct. The islet really did exist. 
It had, moreover, at one period actually been 
used for breeding purposes. There remained, in 
fact, relics of nests that might have been in use 
within two or three years. In all probability 
the Petrels—locally known as Stinkpots, and, I 
fear, without rhyme or reason treated as such— 
had been harried and driven away from their 
tiny territory in wanton mischief. 
Although Nellie Island was itself desolate, there 
still remained in its vicinity seven or eight pairs 
of breeding birds established in a small con- 
tiguous bay. At the appearance of our new craft, 
G 
