Section VII. On the Birds of the Weddell and Adjacent Seas, Antarctic Ocean.* 



By WM. EAGLE CLARKE, F.R.S.E., F.L.S., Keeper of the Department of 

 Natural History of the Royal Scottish Museum. 



THIS instalment of the ornithological results of the voyage of the Scotia deals with 

 the bird-life observed in the Antarctic Ocean southwards of the 60th parallel of south 

 latitude, and between the meridians of 12 C and 45 of west longitude ; in other words, 

 the Weddell Sea and the waters fringing it on the north. Previous to the voyages 

 of the Scotia, the Weddell Sea had only been visited by Captain Weddell, during 

 his marvellously successful cruise in 1823; by Morrell later in the same year; by 

 Sir J. C. Ross, who traversed its waters in 1843 ; and lastly, by Dr Otto Nordenskjold, 

 who penetrated to its western portion in 1902. 



Dr Bruce made two voyages into the Weddell Sea ; the first in the late southern 

 summer of 1903, and a second and more extended cruise in the same season of 1904. 

 On both these occasions a high southern latitude was attained, and on the latter the 

 Antarctic Continent within this area was discovered and named " Coats Land," after 

 Mr James Coats and Major Andrew Coats, in recognition of their public-spirited 

 liberality towards the Expedition. During these voyages birds received much attention, 

 and specimens were collected whenever opportunity afforded, chiefly while the Scotia 

 was engaged in taking soundings, or while trawling operations were in progress for the 

 capture of deep-sea organisms. As no landing was effected on terra firma, the birds 

 were observed or obtained either amid the ice-fields or on the open sea. The collection 

 thus formed comprises seventy-four specimens, and is one of great value and interest, 

 for it is not only the first ever made in the region, but adds greatly to our knowledge 

 of the geographical distribution of bird-life in the Antarctic Seas. 



The first of the above-mentioned voyages commenced on the 4th of February 1903, 

 on which date the Scotia sailed from Saddle Island, one of the South Orkneys. It was 

 the intention of the explorers to follow a south-easterly course, as Weddell had done 

 in 1823, but the pack-ice, in places from fifteen to twenty feet thick, compelled them 

 to proceed in an easterly direction, hugging, as it were, the 60th degree of south latitude. 

 On February 14th, when some distance off Southern Tbule Island, the southernmost of 

 the South Sandwich group, the edge of the pack was fortunately found to trend 

 towards the much-desired south. 



During the run from the South Orkneys towards the South Sandwich Islands the 

 following birds were either obtained or came under notice : Banks's Whale-bird 



* Reprinted, with slight verbal alterations, from The Ibis, Series IX., i., 1907, pp. 325-349. 



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