towards the Far West. 5841 



that are on the ocean at this time of year, they had better cross the 

 Atlantic and judge for themselves. There are not only many, but 

 there must be immense numbers, or so many would not be observed 

 from one ship. I speak more particularly of the shearwaters (the 

 species I am not certain of). 



Another point about which I have been thinking is, that the storm 

 petrels (Thalassidromae) have the credit of being precursors of stormy 

 weather. Now, there is no doubt that they are seen in greatest num- 

 bers when the sea is rough, as I have myself observed ; in fact, it is 

 unusual to see any in a calm sea ; but the explanation appears simple 

 enough, viz., that they only resort to those parts of the ocean where 

 the water is being stirred up by the wind, because their natural food 

 (marine plants and animals), which during a smooth sea might float 

 at a little distance from the surface, are on such occasions con- 

 tinually thrown to the surface, within reach of these birds. 



On board ship i Prince of Wales, 7 

 Hudson's Bay, Aug. 5. 



We are now in the " Bay," after having passed through the diffi- 

 cult passage of Hudson's Straits, the entrance of which being the 

 first land we made, on the 24th of July, after having experienced 

 contrary winds among the icebergs in Davis's Strait. Hudson's 

 Strait was particularly free of ice this season, the only part where we 

 met with it thick being about the middle, where we lay for three 

 days, made fast among the field-ice. This sailing among ice requires 

 considerable care and judgment, and it is rather alarming to the 

 nerves, striking a large block, and making the ship creak and rattle 

 as if she was going to pieces ; this, however, is an occurrence of 

 every few minutes when boring through the ice. The ships are extra 

 planked all round with very thick pieces on the bows. Sailing 

 among the ice on a clear day, with the water calm (as it necessarily 

 is among the ice), is, however, pleasant. The nights are very cold, 

 and the thermometer during the day often not much above freezing 

 point. 



Animal life in the " Straits " was confined to a good many seals, a 

 few walrusses, one polar bear, a number of what I took for the foolish 

 guillemot (Una troile), a few, but very few, of the black guillemot 

 (U. grylle\ and an occasional pair of gulls. 



Something in the entomological line was observed when we were 

 xv. 3 s 



