208 ORNITHOLOGY OF THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



The bird-notes of these three trips may be summarised together. 



The Wandering Albatros (Diomedea exulans) on the first voyage was met with 

 for the first time in 35 S. On all three trips it was logged at intervals from this 

 latitude southward to near the Falklands. 



The smaller species of albatros (Diomedea and Thalassogeron) were simply re- 

 corded as " Molliemauks" ; none were logged on the first trip ; on the second (December 

 1903) some were seen daily from 48 S. to about 34 S., while on the third they were 

 only encountered once, in 50 S., when six were seen. 



Few Sooty Albatroses (Phcebetria spp ) were seen north of the Falklands, these birds 

 be.ing logged from about 47 and 50 S. lat. on two of the three trips. 



Wilson's Petrel (Occanites oceanicus) was first encountered in 30 S., and thence 

 to the Falklands was noticed frequently, except on the last voyage, when it was 

 only once logged, and that was doubtful. On the first voyage they became more 

 numerous as the Falklands were approached, being noted as " very plentiful " on 

 January 4th (47 S.). On January 26th, 1904, "Stormy Petrels, like Wilson's, only 

 more white on their breasts and wings," were observed (43 S.). These may have 

 been the white-bellied Cymodroma grattaria, which was obtained later on, in the 

 South Atlantic. This species has lighter wings than Wilson's, and the inner under- 

 wing coverts are white. 



"Blue Petrels" (Prion spp.) and Nellies (Ossifraga gigantea Gm.) were logged on 

 the first two days after the Scotia left Port Stanley in December 1903, and there is also 

 a doubtful record of the latter for 43 S. (January 26th). 



On December 28th, 1902, three petrels were shot, the skins of two of which are now 

 in existence, in 33 S. lat. They prove to be (Estrelata incerta (Schl.), a little-known 

 species, which has a wide distribution in the southern oceans : * 



() ? , December 28th, 1902. 33 5' S., 48 48' W. Length (in skin) about 

 18 ins. ; wing 1275 ins. ; bill (gape to tip) 2'0 ins. ; tarsus 175 ins. ; middle 

 toe 2'4 ins. ; inner toe 2'1 ins. 



(b) $ , December 28th, 1902. Same lat. and long. Length about 17 ins. ; wing 

 11'9 ins. ; bill 175 ins. ; tarsus 17 ins. ; middle toe 2'2 ins. ; inner toe 1'85 ins. 

 Notes made on the spot describe the beak as black, the pupil blue, the iris sepia- 

 brown, the legs yellowish white, the lower parts of the toes and webs black. 



In the dried skin the beak is black, with a greyish-white mark near the tip 

 on both upper and lower halves. Tarsi and toes yellow ; outer side of outer toe, and 

 distal portions of toes and webs, blackish. 



The wings, mantle, lower back, rump, and tail are blackish brown, shading into 

 lighter brown on upper back, neck, sides of breast, and head ; a dark brown patch in 

 front of and above the eye ; middle of throat and of foreneck whitish ; middle of breast 

 and belly white. Flanks greyish brown, under wing- and under tail-coverts dark brown. 

 Faint lighter margins to scapulars and upper tail-coverts. 



* Godman, Monograph of the Petrels, 1910, p. 195. 



