210 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



mouth, very well worth reading, and well illustrated from their photographs. The 

 ship dared not cross the dangerous bar, though a Swedish schooner drawing 

 10' 6'' had lately done so with some danger, bumping once or twice, even at 

 hi°-h water. " It appears," says Dr. Guillemard, "that there is only one tide here 

 in the 24 hours," a thing about which a seaman would like more positive informa- 

 tion. The " Marchesa," however, had had enough of the place, got her " liberty- 

 men " on board, and stood away for " Bering " Island. 



Dr. Guillemard tells us that this, and not " Behring," is the proper spelling of 

 the name which that unlucky navigator has left to the island in question, as well as 

 to the more famous straits. It and a neighbouring one called " Copper Island" 

 are the westernmost of the volcanic Aleutian chain that locks in the north angle 

 of the Pacific. These two belong to Russia, and are called, together, the Koman- 

 dorski (Commander) Islands, that having been the naval rank of poor Bering 

 when he perished miserably on the larger, half-buried before the breath was out 

 of him. 



Most of the time of the " Marchesa's " party was taken up in interviewing the 

 fur-seals, or sea-bears (Callorhinus ursinus) ; but the natural history of this animal, 

 and the fashion in which he is preserved and slaughtered, are not only hackneyed 

 tout in many details little short of disgusting. One thing Dr. Guillemard records 

 which is not in the newspaper accounts of the Sealery, videlicet, the young sea- 

 bears are born with their eyes open. Also he met here Dr. Leonard Stefneger 

 engaged on the natural history of the islands. The most valuable result of his 

 researches had been the collection of many bones of the extinct sea-cow {Rhytina 

 Stelleri), and of some data bearing on the very recent colonization of these vol- 

 canic isles by the continental fauna and flora. He thought that the evidence quoted 

 by Nordenskiold as to the survival of Rhytina to within late generations was 

 untrustworthy. 



From Nikolsky, the capital of Bering Island, the " Marchesa" sailed to Cape 

 Shipunsky, in Kamsehatka, to hunt walruses and wild sheep {Ovis nivicola); with 

 the former she did little good, the shore having been harried by the Swedish 

 schooner already mentioned, and the carcases left lying on the rocks, effectually 

 debarred the survivors from landing. Now walrus hunting in the water is no di- 

 version for amateurs. With the sheep the landed party did better, surrounding 

 many on a lofty promontory, where they shot or drove over the cliffs no less than 

 nine in one day. These sheep closely resemble the American " Bighorn " {Ovis mon- 

 tana), and are fine brutes, some exceeding 40 inches at the shoulder, with a length 

 of five feet and a half, and horns 35 inches long outside the curve. 



Dr. Guillemard gives reasons for maintaining the distinction of the species, by 

 some identified with the nearly allied 0. montana. They have one merit consider- 

 able in a sheep, very good mutton. A few seals, resembling Phoca vitulina, were 

 shot here, after which the "Marchesa" returned to Petropalousky, and sailed 

 thence to Cape Lopatka to get sea-otters {Enhydra lutris). They got two skins, 

 and the canoe, bow and arrows used in the chase of this rare animal. The canoe 

 was like an Esquimaux kayak in form and construction, made of skins of the 

 sea-lion {Eumetopias) on a wooden frame, covered in, and further protected by a 

 loose petticoat- shaped circular apron tied under the arms of the paddlers. One 



