202 The Zoologist— May, 1866. 



pp. 171, 172). Of the latter, as I have already mentioned, we saw a 

 considerable number; and though we (ailed in our efforts to obtain a 

 specimen, yet, through Mr. Malmgren's kindness, I am able to declare 

 that the species is Anser brachyrhynchus, since I saw and examined 

 two examples in his possession. Of the first, though, I regret to say, 

 unsuccessful in finding out its haunts, I likewise had the pleasure of 

 being shown by Mr. Mahngren an adult male, killed but a few days 

 previously, and still unskinned. Its plumage, however, presented 

 scarcely any trace of the great vernal change which takes place in 

 this group of birds ; and, except that I am confident that the ptarmigan 

 of Spitsbergen is distinct from that of continental Europe and Britain, 

 I hardly like to form an opinion respecting its specific distinctness 

 from the ptarmigan of Iceland, Greenland, and Labrador, which I am 

 inclined to consider as forming but one species, to which the name L. 

 rupestris, being the oldest, should probably be applied. 



After passing an agreeable week in Ice Fjord, and being joined by 

 our Norwegian consort, we returned southwards, and proceeded 

 towards the most western of the Thousand Islands. Here some of 

 our party were transhipped to go to the eastward in the 'jaegt' in 

 search of walruses, while the 'Sultana' made another attempt to 

 ascend the Stor Fjord; but, finding the ice at a distance of about 

 twenty miles above the bight still unmoved, she was compelled to 

 retrace her course, and await the return of the jaegt party off the 

 Thousand Islands. In Stor Fjord we made the acquaintance of the 

 third species of seal known in Spitsbergen, the very widely distributed 

 Pagophilus grcenlandicus of Dr. Gray's Catalogue. This animal is 

 known to the frequenters of the coast as the " Jan-Mayen kobbe" and 

 *' svart-side ;" but most generally as the " springer," from its lively 

 actions in the water. It is of a social disposition, and we saw it in 

 herds not less than lilty in number. These were very fond of 

 swimming in line, their heads alone above water, engaged in a game 

 of " follow-my-leader ; " for on the first seal making a roll over, or a 

 spring into the air, each seal of the whole procession, on arriving at 

 the same spot, did the like, and exactly in the same manner. While 

 viewing this singular proceeding (and I had many opportunities of 

 doing sq), I could not but be struck with the plausibility of one of the 

 suggested explanations of the appearance which has obtained so wide- 

 spread a notoriety under the name of the "great sea serpent." If any 

 rule of the game in which Pagophilus grcenlandicus loves to indulge 

 ever would permit the leading seal to swim (sa)) one-third out of water, 



