8 REPORT ON THE MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 



N. ; force 8; temp, of air 15°, of water 29°; at the pack-edge. 

 " Rotges " very numerous to-day and yesterday. 



May 9th.— Noon. Lat. 78° 35' N., long. 0° 10' W. ; W. i S. ; 

 force 3; temp, of air 24°, of water 30*5°; among floes. At five 

 o'clock got into a large water surrounded with floes. A few 

 "Unicorns" were sporting about in the still water; flocks of 

 " Rotchies " and "Looms" were flying hither and thither, and 

 some were swimming about engaged in diving for "whales'-food," 

 upon which they subsist. A bear or two seen on the floe. 



May 12th.— Noon. Lat. 78° 47' N., long. 2° 41' E. ; N.N.W. ; 

 force 2 ; temp, of air 18°, of water 29 ; among floes. Got into 

 the land-water of Spitzbergen. Saw many " Mallemauks." 



May 15th. — Noon. Lat. 79° 20' N., long. 2° 55' E. ; S.E. ; 

 force 3 ; temp, of air 26*5°, of water 29*5° ; at pack-edge. A few 

 " Unicorns " seen ; and a Hawk came on board, apparently dying 

 of hunger. 



May 16th. — The Hawk seemed to be recovering, but on May 

 17th fell overboard and was drowned. 



May 27th.— Noon. Lat. 77° 40' N., long. 3° 20' E. ; S. i W. ; 

 force 6 ; temp, of air 27°, of water 31° The water is very rich 

 with "whales' food"; "Unicorns" are numerous, and birds in 

 thousands. 



June 6th.— Noon. Lat. 77° 53' N., 4° 25' W.; temp, of air 35°, 

 of water 31°. "Whales' food" abundant, and birds numerous. 

 A few " Unicorns " seen, and one bear. 



June 7th. — Noon. Lat. 77° 57' N., 4° 52' W. ; N.W. i W. ; 

 force 1; temp, of air 36°, of water 33*5°; floes and loose ice. 

 Narwhals have been numerous ; also birds, chiefly " Rotchies " ;■ 

 and one or two bears. 



June 10th.— Noon. Lat. 78° 3' N., long. 0° 24'. W. ; S.W. by 

 S. i S. ; force 3 ; temp, of air 33°, of water 33*5°. Many birds. 

 Quantities of whales blowing, and greasy water. "Rotchies," 

 "Looms," and Narwhals numerous. 



June llth.-Noon. Lat. 73° 38' N., long. 0° 4' E. ; S. \ W. ; 

 force 3 ; temp, of air 35°, of water 35°. Birds and Seals 

 numerous ; a few " Unicorns " seen ; and some bears in sight at 

 12 p.m. 



Steamship ' Persia.' 



Mr. John S. Alston writes under date of November 4th, 1884, 

 —a date as \wl be noted correlating with date of a great rush on 



