BuLLEK. — Observations on an Ocean Voyage. 195 



Diomcdea cxulans, and one Diomedea regia — distinguishable 

 at almost any distance by its perfectly white head and neck 

 and the large amount of white on the wings — were in attend- 

 ance to-day. There were also some Dove Petrels {Prion 

 turUir), and fully a dozen Black - bellied Storm Petrels 

 {Fregctta melanogaster) . The last-named species is very 

 active on the wing, flies high and in wide circles, a manner 

 of flight very different from that of the other species of Storm 

 Petrel already noticed. It seems to be decidedly gregarious 

 in its habits, whereas Occanites oceanicus is a solitary species, 

 being generally seen singly or in pairs. During the day 

 several of the Sooty Albatros {Diomedea fuliginosa) followed 

 us, and I noticed that this species sometimes sails in couples, 

 which D. exulans never does, nor indeed, so far as I am 

 aware, any other species of Albatros. 



22nd February. — Wind has veered round to S.S.W., and 

 there is a heavy swell. Unusually cold for this latitude and 

 this season of the year : water 45° Fahr., and the atmo- 

 sphere, in the shade, 48°. On Saturday the temperature of the 

 water was 70° Fahr. ; to-day it is only 60° Fahr. The reading 

 in the shade yesterday was 51°, and the day before 61°. 

 But the inequality of temperature of the atmosphere in these 

 latitudes is sometimes very remarkable. Captain Kempson 

 tells me that on his last voyage Home, when in sight of Cape 

 Horn, the temperature in the sun was 85° Fahr., whilst in the 

 shade, on the other side of the ship, the thermometer stood 

 at 50°. This is almost as curious as Captain Scoresby's re- 

 port that at 80° north latitude he had the pitch melted on one 

 side of his ship by the heat of the sun, while water was freez- 

 ing on the other side owing to the coldness of the air. Now 

 that we are getting beyond the influence of the warm current 

 from the Mozambique, birds are getting more numerous : a 

 few Diomedea exulans, a splendid pair of D. regia, and six of 

 D. fuliginosa (the " Cape Hen" of sailors) remained with us 

 nearly all day. When about sixty miles from the Crozets a 

 fine Skua {Lestris antarcticus) appeared among them, and 

 instantly gave battle to a Sooty Albatros. Before finally 

 leaving us, he mounted high overhead and took a good 

 survey of the ship. Prion turtur very abundant ; also, in 

 less numbers, a larger species, probably Prion vittatus. 



23rd February. — We are attended to-day by a large num- 

 ber of sea-birds, including the three last-named species of 

 Albatros, — Dioynedea fuliginosa, however, preponderating. The 

 flight of this species is very easy and buoyant, and it rises 

 more gracefully out of the water than any of the other species 

 of Albatros. When on the wing the somewhat long, wedge- 

 shaped, tail is very conspicuous. It is a pow^erful flyer, and 

 Captain Kempson says he has known a marked bird follow the 



