358 fauna and flora of the falkxands. 



The Eeturn Voyage. 



I left the Falklands on the return voyage on the morning of 

 the 19th February with a strong south-westerly wancl, the 

 barometer being 30-10. 



As soon as we were clear of the harbour, we were surrounded 

 by numbers of Grulls {Larus glaucoides) and "Nellys" [Ossifraga 

 gigantea). As we increased our distance from land the gulls 

 gradually deserted us, till at 3 p.m. as we lost sight of land not 

 one was left. A little latter, numbers of Albatross began to 

 aj)pear, but by the next morning our solitary companion was a 

 single Whale bird {Prion desolatus) which followed our track a 

 long way astern. , 



During the outward passage, when not far from Montevideo, 

 I detected a sudden variation in the surface temperature of the 

 sea in about 38°40'S., 56°15'W. ; and it struck me afterwards 

 that we had crossed a stream of cold water, a sudden upheaval 

 from the bottom of the sea, similar to, if not identical with, that 

 encountered by the "Challenger" in about 41°54'S., 54°48'W., 

 when the surface temperature of the sea suddenly fell from 

 59°F. to 56°F. and then rose to 64°F. On my return voyage 

 from Stanley to Montevideo I determined to pay great attention 

 to this interesting subject, and try to discover how far to the 

 westward this cold water extended. My results were as follows : — 

 The surface temperature of the sea at the time of my departure 

 from Stanley was 51'6°F. ; and as we steamed northward it 

 steadily rose, being 60°F. in 43°36'S., 56°36'W. It then feU a 

 trifle at C p.ia. on the 21st, to 59'9°F. and remained unchanged 

 till 9 a.m. the following day, when it suddenly rose to 6r6°F. 

 the position of the shij) being 39°39'S., 57°23'W. At 6 p.m. on 

 the same day, 22nd, there was a still further rise to 65"9°F. and 

 at sunset, 7 p.m. ship's time, to 68'6°F. We sighted Cape 

 Corrientes towards dusk on that day and slightly altered our 

 course towards the land. At midnight the surface temperature 

 had fallen to 54'3°F., but four hours later had risen to 57'3°F. 

 At 8 a.m , 23rd, 70-6°F. was recorded, and at noon 7r9°F. in 

 35°27'S., 56°27 W. ; the steamer at that time being 33 sea-miles 

 from Montevideo. At our anchorage at 5 p.m. about two miles 

 distant from that town, the surface temperature of the sea was 



