OUR FOURTH OF JULY. 



289 



By the middle of May one could at midnight see to read 

 in the cabin without lamp or candle. More bears were taken 

 this spring than at any other time. I got a fine old fellow 

 with a beautiful coat. On the 1st of June dredging was be- 

 gun. This day's haul contained some asterias, and one small 

 bivalve. Though the number of birds daily increases they 

 are not yet plenty. The seals are now beginning to sun 

 themselves on the ice, but they are very shy. The ice now 



MORE FRESH MEAT. 



wastes perceptibly every day. Under date of June 20th I 

 find written : " To-day I collected nine mosquitoes." These 

 were the first entomological specimens collected after we en- 

 tered the Arctic Circle, though subsequently I got one fly and 

 a spider. During June and July I took Ross', ivory and 

 kittiwake gulls, jagers, murres, guillemots and phalaropes. 



On the Fourth of July, 1880, the ship was again dressed 

 with flags. In June we had some brief showers, and also 

 in July and August. In June the dogs at times sought the 

 shade of the ship to sleep. Some beautiful asterias were 

 obtained by the dredge this month. I have saved sketches 

 and notes for future study. On July 25th a bearded seal 

 was shot by the Indian Anequin. This, the only one taken, 

 was a fine specimen. The skin made excellent soles for our 



