Birds of the Weddell and adjacent Seas. 327 
(? Prion or Halobena*), Giant Petrels, Hutton’s Sooty 
Albatroses, Cape Petrels, Snowy Petrels, Silver Petrels, 
Antarctic Skuas (Megalestris antarctica), Antarctic Petrels 
(Thalasseca antarctica), and Terns (Sterna sp.). 
Between the Antarctic Circle and the furthest south (lat. 
70° 25’ S., long. 17° 12’ W.), the same species came under 
notice, with the addition of Emperor and Adélie Penguins 
(Aptenodytes forstert and Pygoscelis adelie). 
On the return voyage a north-easterly course was steered, 
the Antarctic Circle was recrossed on March the 11th, and 
the first southern voyage of the ‘ Scotia’ was completed on 
the 21st, on which day she reached the South Orkneys. 
The only bird worthy of note obtained during the final 
stages of this cruise was a McCormick’s Skua (Megalestris 
maccormickt). 
Having spent the winter of 1903 at Laurie Island, the 
‘Scotia’ proceeded to the Falklands and Buenos Aires to 
refit, and returned to the South Orkneys on February 14th, 
1904. On the 22nd,the Expedition bade adieu to the Orkneys 
and the ‘ Scotia’? commenced her second and most important 
voyage to the Weddell Sea. In contrast to the preceding 
season, the sea was almost free from pack-ice and a south- 
easterly course was possible. At the beginning of March the 
old track of the previous year was crossed, and a few days 
afterwards the ‘ Scotia’ broke her southern record of 1903, 
and that of Ross in 1843. Skirting, more or less, the 
open pack for 3800 miles, the ship met with no obstacle 
to her progress southward, whereas in 1903 all had been 
impenetrable ice. On reaching 72° 18’ S., 17° 59’ W., 
however, a lofty ice-barrier effectually barred further 
progress towards the south, and here Coats Land was 
discovered. This barrier was traced for a distance of 
150 miles to the south-west, when, on the 7th of March, the 
ship was caught in a north-easterly blizzard and became 
locked in heavy pack-ice. On the gale abating two days 
* Both Prion banksi and Halobena cerulea appear under the name of 
“ Blue Petrels ” in the “ Zoological Log,” and when specimens were not 
cbtained it is impossible to say which’species is intended. 
