March 2, 1905] 



NATURE 



425 



THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL ANTARCTIC 

 EXPEDITION.' 



A FTER getting free from the winter quarters in the 

 South Orkneys on November 23, 1903, the Scotia left 

 for the Falkland Islands and Buenos Aires to s:Pt into com- 

 munication with h<Mii-' and ulilain a fr.sli ^Llh 1; n{ , ., d~ atii' 



-Gough Island, showing hanging valley 



provisions. During the ship's absence a party of six men 

 was left at Scoria Bay under the charge of Mr. R. C. 

 Mossman to carry on the systematic meteorological, mag- 

 netic, and biological work. 



Perhaps the most interesting discovery made by the 

 summer party was the egg of the Cape pigeon (Daption 



laid — a pure white egg, deposited in a nest which consists of 

 a few angular fragments of stone raked together on a 

 bare ledge of the cliff. 



While at Buenos Aires Mr. Bruce arranged for the 

 Argentine Government to take over and continue the 

 meteorological and magnetic observatory at Scotia Bay, 

 ■^outh Orkneys. On January 21, 1904, the Scotia left 

 Buenos Aires with three .'\rgentine men of 

 science on board in addition to her own 

 staff, and on February 22 they were left 

 on the South Orkneys under the leader- 

 ship of Mr. Mossman, who had consented 

 to remain for a further period of twelve 

 months. 



This season the distribution of the pack 

 ice was very different from that of 

 the previous year. .Almost no ice was 

 met with near the Orkneys, and very 

 little until reaching the Antarctic circle 

 in about 32° W. long. In the beginning 

 of March the previous year's southern 

 record, and also that of Ross in 1843, was 

 passed, but in 72° 18' S. 17° 59' W. a 

 sudden change of conditions was met 

 with. The water suddenly shallowed 

 fi-om about 2500 fathoms to 1131, and at 

 the same time land was reported ahead. 

 Steaming towards this we found a lofty 

 ice-barrier stretching in a north-easterly 

 and south-westerly direction, effectually 

 barring further progress to the south. 

 Close, heavy pack ice prevented a nearer 

 approach than two miles. This barrier 

 was traced for a distance of 150 miles to 

 the south-west. In 73° 30' S. 21° 30' 

 re cliff. W., a depth of 159 fathoms was met with, 



the barrier being then two and a half 

 miles o(T. In 74° i' S. 22° o' W., the 

 Scotia was nipped by the ice in a heavy N.E. gale, and was 

 preparing to spend the winter there ; but on March 13 the 

 floe broke up and the ship was released. During the six 

 days' imprisonment collections of the marine fauna were got 

 from a depth of 161 fathoms, and a splendid view was ob- 

 tained of the inland ice. .Although no actual bare rock was 



r at head of bay, north coast of Lai 



sland, South Orkneys, 



capensis). Although known to breed on South Georgia and 

 Kerguelen, its eggs had never hitherto been obtained. As is 

 the case with the majority of petrels, only a single egg is 



NO. 1844, VOL. 71] 



seen, there can be no doubt we were really on the edge of the 

 Antarctic continent — off " Coats Land," as it has been 

 named after Mr. James Coats, jun., and Major Andrew 

 Coats, the two chief subscribers to the expedition. In this 

 connection we quote the words of Mr. Bruce : — " I have 

 been asked by several if I am sure that this great ice- 



