148 PRINCE EDWARD ISLANDS. 



The tracts of lower, nearly flat, land of Marion Island 

 skirting the sea, and the lower hills and slopes along the shore, 

 presented a curious spectacle as viewed from the ship as it 

 steamed in towards a likely-looking sheltered spot for landing. 

 The whole place was everywhere dotted over with albatrosses, 

 the large white albatross or Goney (Z>. exuhiiis). The birds 

 were scattered irregularly all over the green in pairs, looking in 

 the distance not unlike geese on a common. 



A boat-load of explorers went on shore, every one having a 

 heavy stick, as it was expected that we might meet with Fur 

 Seals. As the boat pulled on shore cormorants flew about 

 over our heads in numbers. A gull also was common, pro- 

 bably the same as at Kerguelen's Land, and I saw a small bird 

 fly by, close to the water, which was probably Felacanoides 

 urinatrix^ also of Kerguelen. 



As we approached the shore we saw a pair of terns sitting on 

 the rocks, probably Sterna virgata, which occurs at Kergue- 

 len's Land ; beautiful birds of a light soft grey and white 

 plumage with coral red beaks and feet. The Giant Petrel or 

 " Break bones " was also wheeling about over the water, and a 

 few large albatrosses. 



As we neared the beach we saw a bird like a small white 

 hen, eyeing us inquisitively from the black rocks, against 

 which a considerable swell was washing. This bird was the 

 " Sheath-bill " ( Chionis minor), of which we afterwards saw so 

 much. 



The surf is subdued a great deal by the thick growth of 

 D' UrvilUza utilis upon the rocks. The plant is a huge brown 

 seaweed with stout stems, as thick as one's wrist, attached to 

 the rock by large conical boss-like suckers, and with large 

 spreading leaves on the stalks, provided with floats composed 

 of a series of honeycomb-like air-cells within a thickened frond. 

 With some little difiiculty we scrambled out on to the rocks, 

 which were extremely slippery. 



The first to get on shore fell in immediately with a female 

 Sea-Elephant lying on a little patch of damp grass-land at the 

 mouth of a miniature gully, opposite to which we landed. 

 They thought they had got a Fur Seal, and killed the animal at 

 once by striking it on the head with a stone. 



I made my way up a steep bank and over a low hill to reach 

 the plain where were most albatrosses. The walking was 

 extremely tiring. The bank was steep and the soil saturated 

 with moisture, and consisting of a black slimy mud, with holes 

 full of water everywhere. I'he thick rank herbage concealed 

 these treacherous places, which, as the ground was covered 

 with Azorella tufts, gave way under one's feet and rendered 



