204 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



secured the most complete series of penguin embryos in unbroken sequence from the 

 day of laying to hatching. These excellent embryological preparations form the basis 

 of the valuable investigations of Dr Waterston and Dr Geddes.* 



On many occasions we "fished" for birds with baited hooks and triangles, but, 

 contrary to my previous experience on board the Balsena in 1892-3, we did not secure 

 many birds by this method. On the Balsena I have seen as many as thirteen 

 albatroses taken by the seamen in a day. On the same voyage I caught many birds 

 in this way myself, but, during the voyage of the Scotia, although we would some- 

 times hook a bird and bring in to within an arm's length, it invariably got clear before 

 being hauled aboard. 



The consideration of the ornithology of the voyage has been based primarily on 

 geographical distribution ; the birds of every region passed over by the Scotia having 

 been considered separately. The first place that any special collection of birds was 

 made was St Paul's Rocks, where, in spite of a heavy swell running, the Scotia 

 naturalists secured two out of the three species that are known to breed there. Here 

 Dr Pirie had a narrow escape, when he was washed oft' the rocks, on to which he 

 jumped from the boat, into a sea swarming with sharks. So numerous were the 

 sharks that we caught several at the ship with ease, although our attention was 

 taken up at the time with testing our sounding gear and with kite-flying. At the rocks 

 fishing was tried from the boat, but each time a fish was hooked it was swallowed by 

 one of the sharks that were swarming round the boat. Little was then secured till 

 the Falkland Islands were reached, on account of our forcing as quick a passage 

 south as possible to the region we were specially fitted out to explore. At the 

 Falkland Islands my attention and the attention of the officers and crew had to be 

 given almost entirely to ship's business, but the naturalists managed to make several 

 excursions in the vicinity of Stanley Harbour. On two occasions I accompanied 

 excursions to Cape Pembroke, where I had to set up and subsequently inspect the 

 meteorological equipment at the lighthouse ; this made an opportunity for field 

 naturalist's work in that region. I also conducted a special excursion to the Tussock 

 Islands, while the Scotia was coaling, when we secured a Sea-lion and quite a number 

 of interesting birds. To Mr Thomson and Mr Coulson, of the lighthouse, is chiefly 

 due our collection of Falkland Island birds' eggs. 



Very detailed and important work was done in ornithology at the South Orkneys, 

 in the Weddell Sea, and at Gough Island, and these collections have been examined 

 and described in three excellent reports by Mr W. Eagle Clarke in The IbisJ which 

 are now reprinted. The type collection of the birds from these regions, including 

 males and females, types of every stage of plumage obtained, and a large and complete 

 series of eggs, I have presented to the Royal Scottish Museum ; while a further typical 



* Idem, pp. 32-58. 



t The Ibis, Eighth Series, vol. v., April 1905, pp. 247-268 ; Eighth Series, vol. vi., January 1906, pp. 145-187 ; 

 ;iinl Ninth Scries, vol. i., April 1907, pp. 325-349. 



