OCEAN NOTES. 7 



Thanks to Mr. T. Southwell, of Norwich, I have the following 

 returns from the Polar Seas : — 



Voyage of Steamship ' Eclipse ' in Polar Seas, from the Log of 



Capt. David Gray. 



The ' Eclipse ' left Peterhead on Feb. 28th, 1884, and Lerwick 

 on March 12th. On that day Bottlenose Whales were seen 

 hurrying northward, as well as a few " Mallemauks." Lat. at 

 noon 60° 25' N., long. 0° 41' W. ; wind true S. ; force 4 * ; temp, 

 of air 42°, of sea 44°. At 8 p.m., temp, of water 47°. 



March 14th. — Lat. at noon, 66° 4' N., d. r., long. 3° 50' W., 

 d. r. South. Force 9. Temp, of air 42°, of water 40°. Numbers 

 of " Mallemauks," and one or two " Looms." 



March 17th. — Noon. Lat. 72° 23' N. d. r., long. 5° 44' W. 

 d. r. E. i N. Force 5. Temp, of air 25°, of water 29°. Made 

 the ice at 11.30 a.m. Slight sludge. Saw several " Snow Birds" 

 (Ivory Gulls), as well as a flock or two of " Botges " (Little 

 Auks). 



March 20th.— Noon. Lat. 73° 0' N. d. r., long. 5° 30' W. d. r. 

 N. 6 E. i E. ; force 10. Temp, of air 20°, of water 29°. Young 

 ice. " Snow Birds " and " Burgomasters " were flying N.N.E., 

 which was significant, as these birds are always present in vast 

 numbers where a large herd of seals is. 



April 25th.— Noon. Lat. 73° 28' N., long. 2° 50' E. ; S. J W. ; 

 force 5 ; temp, of air 36°, of water 29*5°. We passed through the 

 sealing grounds (where on the 4th to 7th the young brood of seals 

 had been killed. Many crangs [skinless bodies of the young 

 seals] covered with snow were still visible, and around them 

 flocked myriads of " Snow-birds " and " Burgomasters." 



April 26th.— Noon. Lat. 73° 25' N., long. 5° 6' E. ; N.N.W. ; 

 force 4 ; temp, of air, 24°, of water 29°. Saw many flocks of 

 Eider Ducks going N.E. ; and " Mallemauks " numerous. 



April 27th.— Noon. Lat. 74° 15' N., 4° 30 E.; W.N.W. ; 

 force 4; temp, of air, 17*5°, of water 29°; at the pack-edge. 

 Several "schools" of old Saddle-back Seals seen going N.E. ; 

 and "Kotges," " Looms," and "Dovekies " also on their north- 

 ward journey. 



May 3rd. — Noon. Lat. 78° 36' N., long. 1° 13' E. ; N.E. by 



* The strength of the wind is according to Beaufort scale. — D. G-. 



