186 Transactions. — Zoology. 



cleared away as the day advanced. I looked out anxiously 

 for my White Albatros at the usual hour, but he did not re- 

 appear from behind those misty veils, and we saw hmi no 

 more. Later on a few Adamastor cinereus followed the ship, 

 and towards evening a pair of Diomedea exnlans, but the 

 latter did not stay long. 



11th March. — Calm weather, with intense cold and no 

 birds. A solitary Grey Petrel passed and repassed astern of 

 us several times, and then made off across the waste of 

 waters, leaving us to pursue our course easterly without a 

 sign of animation around or above us. Towards evening a 

 Giant Petrel (Ossifraga gigantea), the first we have seen, 

 made a long sweep ahead of us, flying low, and keeping at a 

 distance from the ship. This species is common enough in 

 higher latitudes. 



12th March. — No appearance to-day of the Grey Petrel, 

 although the weather seemed favourable enough. 



13th March. — Grey Petrel again numero.us ; also Diomedea 

 culminata, the young birds (with dark-coloured head and neck) 

 predominating, and an occasional Diomedea exulans. 



14th March. — At noon on this day we had got as far south 

 as lat. 56° 52' without, however, having seen any icebergs. 

 The Grey Petrel {Adamastor cinereus) is, I should say, far and 

 awa)' the commonest species of bird in these seas. It is 

 evident that the same flock does not keep in constant attend- 

 ance like the Albatros, b.ecause I have noticed that, whereas 

 one day the birds are shy and keep well astern of the ship, 

 the next day they will fly over and around her after-part with 

 every appearance of confidence. We have not, so far, seen 

 any Diomedea melanophrys, a form very common in the South 

 Pacific, but inhabiting a somewhat lower latitude. There is 

 said to be a large breeding-place of this species on some 

 outlying rocks near the Chatham Islands, w^hich are visited 

 periodically hj the Maoris for the sake of the young birds. 



15th March. — To-day was the last of the appearance of 

 Adamastor cinereus, which followed us, but in diminished 

 numbers, till nightfall, when we were in lat. 56° 52' S., long. 

 82° 10' W. It is clearly a strictly oceanic species, for we are still 

 150 miles from land. According to my observations on this 

 voyage, the meridian of 152° represents the limit of its range 

 to the westward ; and it is significant that during the whole 

 of my experience in New Zealand I have never known of its 

 occurrence more than once in our adjacent seas. Last year 

 Captain Fairchild (as already recorded"), on his return voyage 

 from the Chatham Islands in the " Hinemoa," came upon 

 a flock of them in calm weather. He stopped the engines, 



* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxiv., p. 69. 



