322 PMILOSOfHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1747. 



is but very much in general that Mr. E. knows the success of this last expedition. 

 What he did know, was communicated to him by order of the Court, from the 

 College of Admiralty, for him to make use of it in the geography of Russia, 

 which he was at that time charged with. 



They passed along in small vessels, coasting between Nova Zemla and the 

 Continent, at divers times, in the middle of summer, when those waters are 

 open. The first expedition was from the river Oby ; and at the approach of 

 winter the vessels sheltered themselves by going up the Jeniska ; whence the 

 next summer they returned to sea, in order to advance farther eastward ; which 

 they did to the mouth of the Lena, into which they again retired for the winter- 

 season. 



The 3d expedition was from this river, to the farthest north-east Cape of Asia. 

 But here they lost several of their boats, and a great part of their crew, so as to 

 be disabled from proceeding, and from making the whole tour, so as to arrive at 

 Kamschatka. It was however thought, that a further attempt was then unneces- 

 sary, as Capt. Behring had already gone round that Cape, sailing northward from 

 Kamschatka. 



The Russians have not attempted the passage round Nova Zemla ; but as they 

 have passed between that land and the coast of Asia, and as the Dutch formerly 

 discovered the northern coasts of Nova Zemla, we may now be well assured, that 

 that country is really an island. 



Observations made on the Bansticle, or Prick/ebag, alias Prickleback, and also 

 on Fish in general. By Mr. fVm. Arderon, F. R. S. N° 482, p. 424. 



About the beginning of April Mr. A. took a bansticle out of the river, full of 

 spawn, and put it into a glass jar, at the bottom of which he had placed a small 

 quantity of sand, as he always did in every vessel with fish ; and about the 20th of 

 May it buried its spawn in the sand. He was in hopes this spawn would have 

 produced a young brood, but was disappointed ; which he imputed to its being 

 frequently disturbed by the pouring in of fresh water. 



For some days after he had catched this bansticle, it refused to eat any thing 

 he ofFered it, as is common with all fish he had yet kept ; but frequently giving 

 it fresh water, and coming often to it, it became so familar as to eat small worms 

 he now and then threw into the jar, and from that time grew so tame as to take 

 them out of his hand; nay it became so bold at last, that when its belly was full, 

 or it did not like what he ofFered, it would set up its prickles, and with its utmost 

 strength make a stroke at his fingers, if he put them into the water to it. 



This fish was of so unsociable a disposition, that it would suffer no other fish 

 to live in the jar with it, and so audacious, as to attack whatever he put in, 

 though 10 times its own size. One day, for the sake of diversion, he put a small 



