716 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1889. 



ble former presence of the Great Auk. Weather, however, is a very 

 uncertain quantity in or about the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and owing to 

 fresh breezes and heavy sea this part of the programme was unavoid- 

 ably omitted. These Penguin Islands seem to agree in location with 

 the island of Penguin mentioned by M. Hore, who says that " they 

 came to part of the West Indies about Cape Briton, shapiug their course 

 thence northeastwards until they came to the island of Penguin, which 

 is very full of rocks and stones." At the same time " ^bout Cape Bri- 

 ton " is extremely vague, and the location of the island is a mere matter 

 of conjecture, the case not being helped by a marginal note to the effect 

 that the island is in latitude 30 degrees. 



Only two Shearwaters (Puffinus major) were collected between the 

 Magdalens and St. John's, Newfoundland, although large flocks of 

 these birds were seen near Cape Pace in company with the Sooty 

 Shearwater [Puffinus obscurus). From the intimate association of the 

 two birds it seemed quite possible that they were merely two phases 

 of plumage of the same species, but although every effort was made to 

 obtain a series, both by chasing with dories and sailing upon them with 

 the schooner, the birds were so extremely wild that only two were ob- 

 tained, both Puffinus major. 



A three days' stop was made in St. John's, during which time we 

 endeavored to obtain as much information as possible concerning Funk 

 Island. Unfortunately the few who had visited the place were bent on 

 other errands than collecting Auk bones, and almost the sole fact we 

 gathered was that the best landing was on the northerly side. 



On July 21 the Grampus left for Funk Island, steering northward 

 past Cape Bonavista, as Jacques Cartier had done three centuries and 

 a half before. Funk Island lies 31£ miles north by east from Cape 

 Freels, and 25 miles east-southeast from Offer Wadham Island, the lo- 

 cality being seldom resorted to except by sealers in early spring and 

 occasional fishing boats during the summer. At a distance of GOO and 

 1,200 yards to the north of the island, respectively, are two low rocks, 

 while within a radius of two miles are numerous shoal-patches, so that 

 Funk Island and its vicinity have small attractions for the navigator. 

 To add to the dangers of approach, there is no lighthouse, a thing much 

 needed. The morning of the 22d found us with a light breeze and smooth 

 sea about eight miles distant from Funk Island, but so moderate was the 

 weather that it was a little after noon before we were abreast of the east- 

 ern end, where, at the distance of about a mile, it Mas proposed to anchor. 

 Everything had long been in readiness for a start shoreward, and a short 

 time before coming to anchor, a dory containing Mr. Palmer and myself, 

 provided with a simple camping outfit and provisions for several days, 

 was sent to effect a landing. Owing to the fickleness of the weather 

 and frequent occurrence of fogs in this vicinity, our plans had been so 

 laid that should occasion require, we might remain on the island and 

 prosecute the work of searching for remains of the Great Auk while 



