viii THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



exclusively the investigation of the deep-sea conditions, we specially chose 

 long courses, lying as far as possible through deep-water areas, from port to 

 port ; and when we could we chose as our long resting-places our own naval 

 stations, or other localities frequented by Europeans, where coal and food 

 could be got with ease. 



At such places the land fauna is usually fairly well known. When we 

 touched at out-of-the-way places, such as the Admiralty Islands or the 

 Crozets, as many Birds were collected as possible, all the officers, naval and 

 civilian, cordially combining to make the lists as complete as we could. The 

 skins were carefully prepared by Pearcy, under the directions of Mr Murray, 

 by whom the necessary notes were added. My friend Dr Sclater employed 

 in reference to the Birds the same plan which I adopted for the general 

 collection; he invited the assistance of the specialists most familiar with 

 particular departments, whether special faunas or zoological sections. The 

 Marquis of Tweeddale completed the description of the Birds of the 

 Philippine Islands, on which he had long been recognised as the first 

 authority ; this paper was the last of a valuable series of contributions to 

 Ornithology, and his early death leaves a blank which will not be easily filled. 

 Before we left England we were requested by Professor Alfred H. Garrod, 

 F.K.S., Prosector to the Zoological Society, to make a special collection of the 

 Procellariadae for dissection, as he intended to work up the anatomy of the 

 group. We attempted to carry out his wishes to the best of our power, and 

 sent him on our return a large series in brine and spirit. We learned, 

 however, with regret that Mr Garrod's health was in an unsatisfactory state, 

 and he died when his task was little more than commenced. Mr William 

 Alexander Forbes, who succeeded Mr Garrod as prosector, has undertaken to 

 go over the collection, and to report upon it. 



Dr Morrison Watson, Professor of Anatomy in Owens College, is prepar- 

 ing a Memoir on the Anatomy of the Penguins, a subject which, from the 

 extreme modification of the type, offers many considerations of interest. 



C. Wyville Thomson. 



