[7] OPERATIONS OF SCHOONER GRAMPUS. 497 



food by fishermen. Also, that their present status in their breeding 

 places should be noted. In connection with this it was considered very 

 important that a collection should be made of the remains of the gn>at 

 auk (Alca impennis, a species now extinct), which formerly frequented 

 the islands off the coast of Newfoundland and at one time served an 

 important function in supplying food to the fishermen. 



2. DETAIL OF NATURALISTS. 



Mr. Frederic A. Lucas, osteologist of the U. S. National Museum, 

 and Mr. William Palmer, modeler and taxidermist, were detailed to 

 accompany the Grampus on her trip. Mr. Palmer joined the vessel on 

 June 30, and Mr. Lucas reported on board the following day. 



3. NARRATIVE OF THE CRUISE.* 



We sailed from Gloucester on the afternoon of July 2, and had a 

 fair and uneventful passage to Canso. When we arrived off Cape 

 Canso, about noon of July 6, the weather was very foggy. We suc- 

 ceeded, however, in passing the numerous outlying ledges without dif- 

 ficulty and ran into Chedabucto Bay. Soon after passing Canso Isl- 

 ands the weather cleared, and remained fiue until we anchored at Port 

 Hawksbury, in the Strait of Canso, at 4.45 p. m. 



At 9.30 a. m. on July 7 we got under way, and, after leaving Canso 

 and passing Port Hood, Cape Breton, ran for the Magdalen Islands, 

 where we arrived and anchored under Grindstone Island, in Pleasant 

 Bay, shortly after 1 a. in. July 8. We lay at that anchorage waiting 

 for the wind to moderate until 5.35 p. m. on the same day, when we 

 got under way and ran to the eastward, anchoring at 8.50 p. m. north- 

 east of Old Harry Head. During the day collections of birds wore 

 obtained by the naturalists and some unsuccessful attempts were made 

 to collect fish. 



At 6.50 a. m. on July 9 we got under way at Old Harry Head and 

 ran to the eastward for the Bird Bocks, off which we anchored at 12.50 

 p. m. The wind in the mean time had died away to a calm. Imme- 

 diately after anchoring the two naturalists and I (with two seamen to 

 row the dory) started for the smaller of the two Bird Rocks, where we 

 spent the most of the afternoon in obtaining collections of sea birds, 

 eggs, nestlings, etc., returning on board shortly after 5 o'clock. 



At the time we returned to the vessel M. Turbid, keeper of the light- 

 house on the larger Bird Rock, came off with his assistant and later we 

 went on shore with him. He kindly gave every assistance in his power 



* On June 27, while making a short run out of Gloucester Harbor, in order to in- 

 spect the new sails which had just been put on the vessel, having on board Mr. E. L. 

 Rowc, maker of the sails, the mate, Mr. D. E. Collins, was so unfortunate as to get 

 his right hand badly jammed with the anchor. He was taken on shore and put un- 

 der medical treatment, but his condition was such that he was not able to join the 

 vessel and remained ou shore during the cruise. The second mate, Mr. Charles H. 

 Griffin, acted as mate during the trip. 



H. Mis. 133 32 



