ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE LIFE. 305 



spread over the high parts was from fifty to one hundred 

 and fifty feet in thickness. Botanical specimens embrace 

 two little mosses, two pretty lichens, and one of grass. Cape 

 Melville is 1,200 feet high. Soundings off here were had in 

 eighteen fathoms, with bold water. Point Dunbar is 600 

 feet in height. The ice near the land passes northwest, in 

 heavy motion all the time. 



The number of guillemots about at this time was much 

 increased. These birds often circled about the ship with 

 evident curiosity. On the morning the sled party left for 

 the island I got a fine adult-plumaged snow-bunting (_P. 

 nivalis). I had seen this species before, but this was the 

 first one taken. Every day, while near Henrietta Island, I 

 noticed the guillemots going off in the morning toward the 

 northeast, apparently to feed, and returning in the evening. 

 TlTis I afterward found to be the case, as the stomachs of all 

 those I shot were full of food, crustaceans, and recognizable 

 parts of small fish like Gr. gradlis. I afterward saw this 

 bird (7. grylle) dive, and come up with a live fish of this 

 species in its beak. It proceeded to kill the fish by beating 

 it on the water and shaking it. I did not see it swallow the 

 fish, as, becoming suddenly frightened, the bird flew away. 



Soon after the return of the island party the ice about the 

 ship cracked in a lively manner, and on the 9th she was 

 afloat. In consequence of the open water about and the prox- 

 imity of land, the shooting improved, and I at times got very 

 good sport. The fresh food thus obtained was very desir- 

 able. On the llth the ice was comparatively quiet. The 

 ship lay alongside the floe with ice-anchors out. 



On the 12th the ice came together, the ship was heavily 

 nipped, and careened to 16 degrees ; but the pressure relax- 

 ing, she righted again. All hands were on the alert for 

 duty. Between five and six P. M. the pressure was heavy, 

 raising the ship by the bow and settling her by the stern. 

 She again heeled to starboard, and the ship showed the pres- 

 sure, groaning and shaking in the ice-king's grasp. The 

 humming sound throughout the vessel, with the cracking of 



