Section IV. Voyages between the Falkland Islands and the 



South Orkneys. 



By L. N. G. RAMSAY, M.A., B.Sc. 



ACROSS the tract of sea lying between the Falkland and the South Orkney Islands, 

 about 600 nautical miles apart, the Scotia made three voyages : southwards in January- 

 February 1903, northwards in November-December of the same year, recrossing 

 southwards again in February 1904. 



The voyages averaged about seven days' duration ; the weather conditions were 

 sometimes clear and calm, sometimes stormy, with violent winds and snow showers ; no 

 ice was sighted north of the immediate neighbourhood of the South Orkneys, except on 

 the first voyage, when bergs were met with in some numbers during the southern half 

 of the journey, and the pack was encountered about 60 S. lat., unusually far north. 

 Bird life was fairly plentiful on all three trips, chiefly albatroses and petrels. 

 Diomedea exulans was noted on all three trips, chiefly towards the Falklands 

 (seven were seen on one day about 53 C 20' S.), but they were also seen daily up to 

 58 S. on the first voyage. 



" Molliemauks " (a general name for the smaller albatroses, except Phabetria) were 

 seen in some numbers throughout the greater part of the area. Two specimens were 

 obtained on December 1st, 1903, at the Burdwood Bank, which lies some 90 miles south 

 of the Falklands. These prove to be Thalassogeron culminatus (Gould), both adult. 



The following notes were logged on December 1st, referring to these two albatroses 

 and a third which was probably not preserved : 



" They differ in colour especially about the head, some being much lighter than 



others. The bills also differ in colour, the three we secured yesterday showing 



this. Two of them have a yellow culmen and yellow under the mandible, while 



the third is almost entirely grey. The inside of the mouth is yellow. The legs 



are of a pale grey, almost white in parts, mottled with darker grey towards the 



outer end of the webs. The grey has a distinct lavender tinge, much the same 



as the feathers. Eyelid is black as well as the cere. At lower angle posteriorly 



is a patch of white feathers, which in flight looks like a white eyelid. The eye 



has a dark olive-green iris, while the pupil is greenish-black." In the dried skin 



the feet are yellowish grey (Zoological Log of the "Scotia" p. 61). 



Several "Grey-headed Molliemauks," recorded on February 12th and 13th, 1904 



(58-60 S.), may be of this species, or Thalassogeron chlororhynchiis. Several of the 



" Real Molliemauk (Yellow-billed Albatros) " seen on February 12th of the same year 



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