VOYAGE OF THE 'ECLIPSE.' 131 



grass on the fields, as it were, was growing, the pastures were 

 becoming renewed before they should again be required to 

 produce a vast quantity of minute creatures which would, in 

 their turn, be called upon to support the huge whale. On 

 August 1st I obtained a small fish* with bright golden scales 

 swimming about at the surface of the water. On the 3rd a 

 specimen of Buffon's Skua, S. longicaudatuSjf was obtained ; a 

 good many others were also seen. 



August 5th. Bore up for Lerwick. While passing Jan 

 Mayen, some fifty miles to the eastward, birds were numerous, 

 Brent Geese, Botches, and Looms, — the latter with their young ; 

 this was on the 8th. The day following. Botches were seen with 

 their young, and one Humpback Whale, B. longimaria, was seen 

 on the 9th. The first Gannet was noticed on the 13th. The 

 same day a great school of Killer-whales, perhaps fifty in 

 number, made their appearance on our lee-bow, and, passing 

 underneath the ship, were again seen on our weather-quarter, 

 continuing their course to the N.W. Birds were very numerous 

 some fifty miles north of Lambaness,— Kittiwakes, Black-headed 

 Gulls, Skuas, Mother Carey's Chickens, Gannets, Looms (?), 

 and several times a strange bird was seen, quite unknown to 

 me, but recognised immediately by several of our seamen as a 

 Cape-hen. 



Called at Lerwick on the 16tb, and, having landed the Shet- 

 land portion of our crew, we proceeded to Peterhead, which we 

 reached in due course. 



* This fish was brought home, and has been identified as Scopelus muleri 

 by Dr. Day (see 'Nature,' Oct. 14th, 1886). 



f This specimen, as well as the Chimney Swift and Wheatear mentioned 

 before, were brought home ; they are now in the hands of Mr. George Sim, 

 A.L.S., Aberdeen, who confirms their identity. 



