Gentoo Penguins, Jackass Penguins, Ringed Penguins

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After developing his photographs, William Speirs Bruce collected together those of a similar theme. This series shows the smaller species of penguin: gentoo, chinstrap and jackass.

Both gentoo and chinstrap penguins breed in the South Orkney Islands and the expedition crew were able to observe their habits, collect specimens as well as exploit them as a food resource, while over-wintering at Scotia Bay, Laurie Island.

Gentoo penguins were mostly photographed near Scotia Bay where they came ashore to cross the coll into their breeding grounds at Jessie Bay. This was also a favourite collecting spot for the expedition members. An individual chinstrap penguin was recorded building a nest from stones on 04 November 1903 during an expedition in the gig from Jessie Bay to Macdougal Bay (Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands). Earlier in the expedition chinstrap penguins were recorded at their rookery on Saddle Island during the first Antarctic scientific expedition ashore on 04 February 1903.

Jackass penguins breed further north and these were recorded on Tussock Island, near Port William on the Falkland Islands during the summer stop-over on the return journey from Buenos Aires.

Gentoo Penguins, Jackass Penguins, Ringed Penguins series consists of photographs of:

• mixed gentoo and chinstrap penguins (5 stereo glass-plate negatives and 1 stereo glass-plate positive)
• gentoo penguins (4 stereo glass-plate negatives and 2 stereo glass-plate positives)
• Jackass penguins (1 stereo glass-plate negative and 1 stereo glass-plate positive)
• chinstrap penguins (7 stereo glass-plate negatives and 1 stereo glass-plate positive)

• Chinstrap Penguin
• Gentoo Penguin
• Jackass Penguin
• Penguins

• Bruce | William Speirs | 1867-1921 | polar explorer and oceanographer

• Scottish National Antarctic Expedition | 1902-1904 | scientific expedition

• Falkland Islands
• South Orkney Islands