TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 751 



the pole in the air as there is in the water, so that there is constantly a rush of 

 cold air from the pole towards the equator, and this, combined with the slow 

 movements of the globe, with its air so near the axis of rotation, would form the 

 chief cause of this low pressure. 



All through our voyage the westevly winds were predominant, but gradually 

 decreased in strength as we drew south of the Roaring Forties. In noting the 

 strength of winds. Sir James Ross's scale to 12 was used. The strongest winds 

 were noticed before we entered the antarctic circle, and not before we returned to 

 the Forties again was wind of force 12 observed. We experienced then a very 

 furious gale of distinctly cyclonic character, turning spirally from north-west to 

 south, and reaching its maximum strength from the south. We had to use oil to 

 protect the ship from the furious breakers. All the time spent in the bay at 

 Victoria Land we experienced light southerly to south-easterly winds, and not once 

 a wind of strength above 5. From the formation of the snow peaks I should 

 think that the westerly winds prevail on the plateaux, and, should this be the case, 

 a land expedition would be greatly assisted in returning from the south magnetic 

 pole towards the bay by the use of sails on the sledges. Our heaviest snowfall 

 was experienced just before we entered the icefields on our return. On the night 

 of January 25, in latitude 69°, when the air was one dense white mass of snow, 

 the wiud being once up to 10 in strength, and surrounded by icebergs, our position 

 was far from safe. Although the thermometer did not fall below 30° F., it was a 

 cold and anxious watch in the crow's nest. 



We always observed the reflection of the icefields in the air, and we were thus 

 warned from far oS", even of the presence of a narrow stream of ice or of an ice- 

 berg; this ice blink and the presence of the Procellaria nivea never deceived us. 

 When the swell is heavy in the icepack, it is often very difficult to ascertain 

 from which side the swell comes, and as difficult as this is, so is it important, for 

 the safety of the ship depends upon a right judgment in these emergencies. When 

 the huge ice masses begin to move and screw and press on the sides of the vessel, 

 which rises and falls in the heavy swell, there is but one escape — namely, to work 

 the vessel into the fields away from the side from which the gale blows. 



Birds of the snipe family were discovered at the Campbell Island. Nests of 

 the black-bellied storm-petrel were found on the rocks of Victoria Land, which is, 

 therefore, the home of this hardy petrel. The white petrel, the Procellaria nivea, 

 seemed also to nest at Oape Adare, where it lived in peace with the penguins. 

 The penguins on Possession Island, and on the mainland, were all distinctly dif- 

 ferent from those seen at the Campbell Island. 



The northern penguins, rock-hopper penguin {Eudyptes saltator), were all 

 crested, that is to say, they had over each eye a tuft of long yellow feathers, which 

 gives them an appearance of Mephistopheles in miniature, and their hoarse scream 

 just suits their peculiar look. 



The penguins which we met in the pack on Possession Island, and on the 

 mainland, were the short-bellied penguin {Eudyptes adelice). Four specimens of 

 Aptenodytes Forsteri, the large, lonely penguin, were secured. They had several 

 pounds of pebbles in their stomachs. 



It was noticed that the plumage of birds gradually changed into lighter colours 

 as we drew southwards. 



Four kinds of seals were seen — the white seal ; the sea-leopard ; the earless 

 seal ; and the common grey seal. 



The difference in the formation of arctic and antarctic ice is known to be very 

 gi'eat. While the northern bergs mostly consist of a large ice mass running up in 

 numberless towers and arches resembling the very mountain peaks which sur- 

 rounded the glaciers which gave rise to them, the antarctic bergs are solid masses 

 of floating ice with perpendicular walls, and an unbroken plateau on the top. 



All the bergs showed distinctly whether they were broken from the large 

 southerly barrier, or were discharged from the glaciers of South Victoria Continent. 

 All the barrier bergs had very distinct blue lines across their walls, indicating 

 their annual growth by snowfall ; these lines were, of course, not to he found on 

 the glacier ice, which showed more likeness to the northern ice than did the 



