VOYAGE OF THE ‘ECLIPSE.’ 99 
Easterly winds prevailing during the latter part of July, and 
the ice as a necessary consequence remaining close, we visited 
the northern grounds, hopeful of obtaining more favourable 
conditions for the prosecution of the fishing. During our absence 
several remarkable changes had occurred. The whole of the 
“§.E. pack” had disappeared, open water extending northward 
as far as lat. 80°. The surface waters, formerly so extensively 
turbid and discoloured with Diatomacex, were now everywhere 
clear and blue. 
During our progress northward we saw now and again a 
solitary ‘‘ Blue-fin Whale” sending its ‘‘ blast” high and pillar- 
like into the air, feeding perhaps on Limacina arctica, of which 
there was a considerable abundance in the surface waters. Some 
of these pteropods, which by the way are not so very common 
throughout the Greenland Sea as is generally supposed, were of 
somewhat unusual size, measuring fully 8 mm. in diameter. 
With regard to B. Sibbaldi, a number of observations which I 
made from the Crow’s Nest concerning its breathing gave the 
following results, viz.:—Period under water, maximum 10 min., 
mean 8m. 20s., minimum 7m.; period at surface, maximum 
4m., mean 3m. 15s., minimum 2m. 40s.: number of expira- 
tions, maximum 15, mean 12°5, minimum 11; period between 
expirations while at the surface, maximum 20 sec., mean 15°5 s., 
minimum 18 s. 
Besides these Whales there were a considerable number 
of birds about, —Looms and Rotches, mostly the former with 
their young, which, although quite unable to fly, had already 
ventured fully 100 miles away from land. The number of 
feathers of these birds, floating about on the surface, showed 
that their moulting season had already commenced. 
On reaching lat. 80° we wrought south-westwards along the 
ice-edge, in search of Whales. Owing to easterly winds, how- 
ever, the ice had altered greatly for the worse, and with the 
exception of great numbers of Narwhals hurrying to the N.W., 
which we saw on the 6th, in lat. 78° 39’, long. 0° 10’ W., there 
was very little life. 
Having overhauled the northern grounds without success, 
we continued working south-westwards along the ice. The 
following extracts from my Log will indicate our progress during 
the rest of the voyage :— 
. 12 
