124 EETURN OF THE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



well-defined rings-., guarding the Pole, or acting as beautiful 

 signals "whereby almost to fix the latitudes roughly. Thus 

 the albatrosses stop at 55° S., and white-bellied petrels take 

 their place; but these, again, do not leave the dreaded pack 

 through whi-^.h all ships have to pass on the way to the inner 

 open water. So the ice pack and the white-bellied petrel give 

 way simultaneously to tiie black-bellied petrel, who 

 conducts voyagers to the regions of the snowy petrel, 

 which delights apparently in perpetual frost. Such facts (if 

 they are facts) add romance to the mysterious Antarctic, and 

 we long to know whether we may now add to our knoAvledge. 

 It was Mr. Hansen's department. 



I think that Mr. Borcligreviuk may at least tell us by an 

 imperceptible wave of the hand, or some slight motion, 

 whether he has settled the question of the " right whale." 

 Ross said he saw plenty. The Antarctic saw none. What 

 is the truth ? And if they again saw on many seals long and 

 •deep scars in parallel lines. Is it the shark which is I'espon- 

 sible ? If the Royal Society cannot elicit for your benefit 

 answers to any of these questions, then we feel we really may 

 ask for something to make up for our disappointment. That 

 something is this — that when Mr. Borchgrevink unpacks his 

 collections at home he will ask Sir George Newnes to grant 

 as a few specimens. I have no doubt Mr. Morton's patriotic 

 rapacity will do all that is possible. Ladies and gentlemen, 

 the Royal Society at this splendid meeting desires to exclaim, 

 in company with you all, " Well done, Southern Cross." 



