^^- *■] THE SLEDGE-JOURNEY AND FRANZ JOSEF LAND. 



Stercoramus longiccmdus, (Vieill.) 1819. 



During the sledge-journey over the ice north-east of Hvidtenland, in 81° 

 45' N. Lai, on July 30th, 1895, a skua was seen three times, which Nansen 

 expressly states in his diary belonged to this species. The ice had just then 

 begun to open up a good deal, and birds were seen more frequently. 



This species was not observed on Franz Josef Land. During the home- 

 ward voyage in the 'Windward', a few specimens were seen in the open 

 Barents Sea (near the edge of the ice), on August 9th, 1896. 



Fulmarus gladalis, (Lin.) 1766. 



This bird and P. eburnea were the two most frequently obsei-ved on 

 the ice itself during the sledge-journey north of Franz Josef Land. The first 

 bird observed in the spring of 1895 was a fulmar, which flew over the tent 

 and the dogs on May 29th (82° 26' N. Lat.). 



The same day another specimen was seen. The ice was now to some 

 extent broken up, and lanes were beginning to form. 



The next fulmar was seen on May 30th, and from the middle of June 

 they were seen very frequently (about 82° 10' N. Lat.). They were also 

 seen all through July, when Nansen and Johansen came nearer to Hvidten- 

 land; but they did not seem to be especially numerous on the north or 

 north-east side of Franz Josef Land, and no nesting-place could be found there. 



A couple of these birds were shot on June 18th, 1895, and eaten. The 

 travellers were then afraid of running short of food. In order to catch some 

 of them to feed the dogs with, without expending cartridges, hooks were ma- 

 nufactured out of tins, to which were fastened pieces of meat, but without 

 success. P. eburnea always managed to peck off the meat without swal- 

 lowing the hooks, and the fulmars take their food almost exclusively from the 

 surface of the water; indeed, they scarcely ever rest upon the ice, possibly 

 because it is difficult for them to fly up. During the latter part of July and 

 the first few days of August, 1895, one or two were often shot daily for the 

 dogs, which at first refused to touch the strong-smelling bird, but gradually 

 learnt to do so when food was very scarce. 



