216 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



were probably Diomedea melanophrys Temm. Sooty Albatroses were also observed 

 in fair numbers over the greater part of this tract of sea. The notes made by Dr Bruce 

 and the other naturalists at the time make it probable that Phcebetria comicoides was 

 present as well as P. fidigmosa. On November 30th, 1903, a "Sooty" having "the 

 characteristic head and eye, but white underneath like a Mollie," may have been the 

 light-bodied P. comicoides. Also on February 1st, 1903, Sooties and " Molliemauks grey 

 and greyish black with no white at all " were logged. The latter would seem to have 

 been Phcebetria comicoides. 



Wilson's Petrels (Oceanites oceanicus) were seen every day on the first voyage, and 

 one was shot on February 2nd. On the two later voyages they were more irregular, 

 being logged as " plentiful " on two days, while on some days none were seen. 



"Blue Petrels" were found in plenty throughout the area, except in the neighbour- 

 hood of the Falklands. Owing to the difficulty of distinguishing between the true 

 "Blue Petrel" (Halobiena ccendea) and the "Whale-birds" (Prion spp.) on the wing,* 

 there are no records for these voyages in which the species is certain. However, it may 

 be supposed that the "Blue Petrels" logged were Banks' Whale-bird (Prion banksi, 

 Gould ).f 



A dead Blue Petrel was picked up on November 28th, 1903, which is stated to be 

 P. banksi in a footnote in the Zoological Log of the "Scotia" (published 1908), on 

 Mr Eagle Clarke's authority. 



Cape Pigeons (Daption capensis) were plentiful, on the whole, numbers being seen 

 near the South Orkneys ; sometimes several were caught with landing-nets. On some 

 days, however, none were logged, on others few. On the return voyage to the Falklands 

 they were present up to the day on which Port Stanley was reached. 



In the Zoological Log for November 29th and 30th, 1903 (58 and 57 S.), "Cape 

 Hens" are mentioned as being seen (one on the 29th and a few on the 30th) "for the 

 first time since we were in these latitudes last." On February llth and 12th, 1904 

 (55-58 S.) a petrel "about the size of Larus dominicanus or a little larger, and 

 completely dark," was logged. These records may refer to Majaqueus asquinoctialis, 

 commonly known as the " Cape Hen," and answering to the above description pretty 

 well. There is no record in the log of the first voyage which could refer to this species. 



The above, with a few other unidentified petrels, were all the birds which were 

 apparently roaming at large on these seas when traversed by the Scotia. In the 

 neighbourhood of the South Orkneys a number of other species which were nesting on 

 those islands were encountered, viz. : 



Ossifraga gigantea, Priocella glacialoides, Pagodroma nivea (these were met 

 with when the ship entered the pack on February 2nd, 1903) Chionis alba, Sterna 

 hirundinacea, Megalestris antarctica, and Pygoscelis antarctica and P. adeliie. 



* The white tip to the tail of Hnlobxna is a sure mark of distinction : Wilson, (British) Nat. Ant. Exped., vol. ii. 

 Zoology, p. 104. 



t See Mi' Eagle Clarke's papers on South Orkneys and Weddell Sea under these species. 



