EDITORIAL NOTE. 



Parts L, II., and III. of Volume II. are the first of the Scientific Reports of the Scottish 

 National Antarctic Expedition to appear in book form. They contain the Meteorological, 

 Magnetic, and Tidal results of the Expedition. It has been thought inadvisable to keep 

 back this portion of Volume II. till the rest was ready, in view of the extremely im- 

 portant nature of Mr Mobsman's monograph on the Meteorology of the "Scotia," and 

 because the Council of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, without questioning the merits 

 of the paper, felt themselves, on financial and other technical grounds, unable to pass 

 that monograph through the Society's Transactions, as they have done in the case of 

 several of the biological contributions. 



In Meteorology the Scottish Expedition was particularly strong, for, as director of 

 that department, no better man could have been secured than Mr Robert C. Mossman. 

 Mr Mossman was in charge of the principal Meteorological Station in Edinburgh from 

 1886 to 1900, and acted frequently as interim-superintendent at Ben Nevis Observatory. 

 He also spent the winter 1901-1902 near the head of Glen Nevis, studying the meteor- 

 ology of the Glen, especially in relation to Fohu winds, having the advantage both 

 of the Summit and Low Level Ben Nevis Observatories to aid him in that 

 research.* His memoir on the Meteorology of Edinburgh, in the Transactions of the 

 Royal Society of Edinburgh, 1896-1902, will ever remain a monument of masterly 

 workmanship. Mr Mossman was supported by two other trained meteorologists, namely 

 Mr D. W. Wilton and the leader of the Expedition, who had both had long experience at 

 the Summit, Mid, and Low Level stations of the late Ben Nevis Observatories. The 

 scientific staff", Captain Robertson and the ufiicers of the " Scotia" also rendered valuable 

 assistance. The " Scotia" Meteorology has furthermore the very great advantage that 

 the results have been worked up by the man who directed operations in the field. 



Mr Mossman also undertook the Magnetic work, and the Expedition is indebted to 

 Dr Charles Chree for his able discussion of that subject. Dr Chree has praised in the 

 highest degree the excellence of Mr Mossman's work in this department. Captain 

 Thomas Robertson, master of the " Scotia," superintended the Tidal Observations, being 

 assisted by the scientific staff" and officers of the ship. These observations were placed 



* Since that time the Observatories have been closed because the British Government refused to 

 adequately finance them. 



