l893 . NOTES AND COMMENTS. 3 



simply meddle in general questions of administration and arrange- 

 ment, which ought to be solely under the control of a competent 

 curator ; and the sooner the system now in vogue is abolished, the 

 better will it be for the development of the museums. 



We heartily wish success to the Museums Association in its 

 efforts to benefit the community in these and other directions ; and 

 under the brilliant patronage with which the London meeting is 

 favoured, much progress ought to result from the proceedings of this 

 year. 



The Antarctic Whaling Expedition. 



As many of our readers are doubtless aware, a whaling expedition 

 comprising four ships — the " Balsena," the " Diana," the " Active," 

 and the "Polar Star" left Dundee in September last to try 

 their fortune among the whales and seals of the Antarctic Ocean. 

 Their destination was the region visited by Ross in his third Antarctic 

 voyage in the years 1842-43 ; and the prime object of search the 

 southern Right Whale (Balcena australis). Seeing how rarely the 

 Antarctic regions are visited, and how imperfect is still our knowledge 

 of their geography and natural history, it was arranged that the 

 medical and some of the other officers of the expedition should 

 endeavour to make observations, and collect specimens, so far as the 

 exigencies of their other duties permitted. 



The expedition has now returned safe and sound, and one of its 

 members has contributed a preliminary account of its doings to the 

 Times, from which we take the following summary. 



It appears, indeed, that while much important information has 

 been acquired as to the meteorology of the Antarctic, and some 

 additions made to geographical science, the general scientific results 

 are not so satisfactory as was hoped would have been the case ; this 

 being mainly due to the time of all persons on board being fully 

 occupied in capturing and flensing seals, during the period when the 

 vessels were in the most interesting regions. During a short stay in 

 the Falklands, the officers learnt that the Antarctic fox is becoming 

 well-nigh extinct ; while Darwin's prophecy that the wild horses and 

 cattle would eventually be replaced by the more remunerative sheep 

 is being rapidly fulfilled. Moreover, through incessant pursuit, the 

 fur-seal, although still found, is comparatively rare. 



The first iceberg was sighted in lat. 59 18', and the same day 

 (December 16) Cape petrels, and other members of the same order, 

 were met with in shoals, while the seas were found to be absolutely 

 swarming with various species of finner whales. Soon after the first 

 seal was descried and promptly despatched ; the species is not identi- 

 fied, although it is stated to be one of those first discovered by Ross. 

 On the 22nd, flocks of sheathbills were met with, while, on the next 

 day, the presence of the lovely white petrel and the olive colour of 

 the water indicated the proximity of the pack-ice. 



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