276 Proceedings, d'c, for 1886. 



pioneer voyage came from Captain Fairweather, of Dundee, 

 who, though comparatively young, has had seventeen years' 

 experience of ice navigation. A sympathetic letter was 

 also received from Admiral Sir Erasmus Ommanney, the 

 secretary to the Antarctic Committee of the British Associa- 

 tion. In response to particular inquiries as to the meteoro- 

 logical conditions, the soil, and fauna and flora, in the 

 Auckland, Campbell, and Macquarie Islands, the Honourable 

 Mr. Seed, the Minister of Marine at Wellington, N.Z., and his 

 officers, Mr. Chamberlain, at Dunedin, and Mr. Borrie, at 

 Invercargill, have been most obliging in forwarding the 

 fullest information procurable. Ifc appears that a Govern- 

 ment schooner is periodically sent from New Zealand to the 

 Auckland Isles with supplies for possible castaways, and that 

 attempts have been repeatedly made there to acclimatise 

 goats, rabbits, fowls, and certain vegetables, most of which, 

 however (except the rabbits), seem to have disappeared. 

 Macquarie Island, though further south (54 deg. 44 min. S.), 

 seems less barren, and some persons have resided upon it for 

 several years. It was visited in November, 1880, by Professor 

 J. H. Scott (of Otago University), whose interesting account 

 of it contains much valuable information. This paper was 

 received from Mr. Seed, together with -an excellent report 

 upon the Auckland Isles, written by Captain Greig, of the 

 N.Z. Government schooner " Kekeno." 



The letters from the gentlemen connected with the 

 whaling interest in Europe confirm your Committee in the 

 impression that the North Sea fisheries, which have long 

 been failing, are now nearly profitless. In 1874 Captain 

 Gray, of Peterhead, N.B., the reputed first living authority 

 upon whaling, endeavoured to induce whale-ship owners to 

 try the Antarctic Seas; bub a temporary improvement in 

 the Arctic catch diverted attention from the project, which 

 has since remained in abeyance. A useful pamphlet which 

 he published in 1874 with that object was forwarded 

 through the Agent-General to your Committee by Mr. 

 Tod, of Peterhead. From Messrs. David Bruce and Co., 

 of Peterhead, also was received an oflfer of two steam- 

 whalers — the "Esquimaux" and "Polynia" — for sale or 

 charter. From Mr. Christensen, of Sandefjord, Norway, 

 was received a similar ofter of four steam-whalers for sale 

 or hire, either for scientific purposes, or for a whaling 

 expedition. Finally, a letter has just been received, through 

 the kindness of Mr. Buchan, town surveyor of Collingwood, 



