326 Mr. W. Eagle Clarke on 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 Thule Island, the southernmost of the 
South Sandwich Group, the edge of the pack was fortu- 
nately found to trend towards the much-desired south. 
During the run from the South Orkneys towards the 
Sandwich Islands the following birds were either obtained 
or came under notice:—Banks’s Whale-Bird (Prion bankst), 
Wilson’s Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), Cape Petrel (Daption 
capensis), Giant Petrel (Ossifraga gigantea), Silver Petrel 
(Priocella glacialoides), Snowy Petrel (Pagodroma nivea), 
Hutton’s Sooty Albatros (Phebetria cornicoides), Ringed 
Penguin (Pygoscelis antarctica), Sheathbill (Chionis alba), 
and several “ Moliymauks.” 
From noon on the 15th of February until the 18th, when 
the Antarctic Circle was crossed, the ‘ Scotia’ had a fine run 
southwards in asea clear of pack-ice. Onthe 19th, however, 
the edge of the pack was again encountered, and an E.S.E. 
course was steered until the 22nd, when, in 70° 25’ S. lat. 
and 17° 12’ W. long., or a little short of Ross’s furthest 
south in this region, the ship became firmly beset. Later 
in the day, however, the ‘ Scotia’ managed to free her- 
self, but the temperature having fallen to 13° F., it was 
resolved to retreat to the South Orkneys in search of winter- 
quarters, 
The birds observed between the Sandwich Group and the 
Antarctic Circle were Wilson’s Petrels, “ Blue Petrels” 
