THE WEDDELL SEA, 1903 11 



Feb. 17th, 64 18' S. 23 09 ' W. No penguins to-day. Blue, snowy, and Wilson's 

 petrels recorded to-day, as well as Cape pigeons, one of which was noticed by Mr Bruce 

 as having its secondaries and primaries almost entirely white. Thalassoeca antarctica, 

 the antarctic petrel, was seen for the first time to-day. Finuers seen in the afternoon, 

 but 110 seals all day. A copepod and two radiolarians got in yesterday's tow-net. 



Feb. I8tl), 66 05' S. 23" 46' W. No penguins. Sooty albatros, a nelly, five 

 antarctic petrels, blue, Wilson's and snowy petrels recorded. Most prominent bird 

 to-day was Wilson's petrel. Tern was seen by Mr Bruce. 



Feb. 19th, 68" 33' S. 24 31' W. Same terns seen as yesterday; black head, hack 

 and side of the neck black, upper surface grey, under surface white. Cape pigeons, 

 snowy, blue, antarctic and Wilson's petrels seen to-day. No finners or seals. Soot \ 

 albatros observed. A white-throated penguin was seen about 9.30 P.M., prolmblv the 

 ringed species. 



Feb. 20th, 69 39' S. 22' 58' W. Several flocks of snowy petrels seen at different 

 times during the day. Blue, Wilson's and antarctic also recorded, as well as a strav 

 nelly and sooty albatros. Birds, except snowy petrels, not so abundant to-day. 

 Ringed penguins also seen, besides finners and seals, two Lobodonx, and another, 

 Stenorhynchus. 



Feb. 2lst, 69 46' S. 19 10' W. Birds, except penguins, more scarce to-day. 

 About thirty penguins (Pygoscelis adeliff) were seen during the day, and one emperor 1 

 was shot. It weighed 64 Ibs, and had a length 51^- inches, with a girth of 36 inches; 

 its body temperature was 100 "2 F. In its stomach cephalopod beaks, tish and three 

 small pebbles (gneiss) were found, and the stomach contents were strongly acid to 

 litmus, those of the rectum slightly acid. Snowy petrels fairly abundant, as well as 

 terns of which there seemed to be two sizes. No Wilson's or blue petrels or Cape 

 pigeons were seen. An antarctic petrel and a nelly or a sooty albatros were reenrded. 

 Of whales, finners and bottle-noses have been observed, the former scarce. One Lobodon 

 was seen lying on a piece of ice. Two dead fishes. 4 inches to 6 indies long, were seen 

 lying on a piece of ice, prubablv disgorged by a petrel. Euphausia has not been seen 

 amongst the pancake ice which is now forming. 



Feb. 22nd, 70 21' S. 17 00' W. About two dozen snowy petrels and only one 

 Wilson's recorded to-day. Abundant adelia penguins and some emperors ; a specimen 

 of the latter was captured. Many seals (Lobodon] mostly white in colour were observed 

 lyino- on pieces of ice. The captain heard a miner blowing about 6 P.M. 



Feb. 23/v/, (i ( .) f>7' S. 16 53' \V. -A few snowy petrels, two antarctic petrels, and 

 black-throated (adelia) penguins in considerable numbers. No tinners. Three seals 

 (Lobodon) on one piece of ice and a fourth on another piece make up the total number of 

 beasts seen to-day. Three black-throated penguins were captured this evening ; their 

 temperature was taken (bv rectum), 102 F. These were adult lards, showing moulting 

 feathers which were white at the base, brownish at the apex, and black at the tips. 



ti'K furxffri. 



