NOTES. 575 
Spitzbergen this summer, winter in the islands to the north, and 
attempt'a journey towards the Pole in May, 1873, with reindeer- 
dges. ` 
Tue HassLer ExreDITION.— Here we are north of the equator 
again. We arrived at this port on the 25th, all well. We have 
touched at many places along the western coast of South America. 
At Payta, the last place on the coast before going to the Galapa- 
gos Islands, a large collection was made considering the time we 
remained there, and among the fishes were two specimens, male 
and female, of a Cestracion ; these we also found at the Galapagos. 
All the collections we had on board at that time were sent to 
New York by the U. S. S. Ossipee which sailed the same day we 
did. We left Payta on the 6th inst, sailing directly for Gala- 
pagos arriving there on the 10th inst. We anchored the first night 
in Post Office Bay, a little haven on the north side of Charles 
Island which is one of the most southern of the group. r 
leaving Charles Island, we stopped at Albermarle, James, Jervis 
and Indefatigable Islands, collecting more or less at every stopping 
place. Our collection at the Galapagos is very satisfactory, 
being very large, and includes, in fish, fifty-two species. We found 
in great quantities the two large species of Amblarhynchus, so 
accurately described in Darwin’s “Voyage,” etc., and obtained some 
thirty of each species. Some of the land species were three or 
four feet long and one weighed thirteen pounds. We have twenty- 
five birds’ skins and many birds in alcohol, three seals’ skins and 
a number of skulls. Jervis Island seemed to be quite an exten- 
sive seal rookery and we saw hundreds of land seals on the shore. 
They were very tame, thus giving us a favorable opportunity to 
Study them. There was one family group on the beach which 
We looked at as long a time as we pleased, being only a few 
feet from them. The mother appeared not to be alarmed as long .- 
as we did not touch her two young ones: they were walking about 
on all fours like a dog, their hind and fore feet bent forward. We 
found inhabitants (seven persons) only on Charles Island, of 
those we visited, although other islands are inhabited. We left the 
Islands on the 19th, making nine days’ stay—J. Henry BLAKE, 
_ “tana, June 30th. [Since the receipt of this letter, Count Pour- 
tales has returned to Cambridge, and we understand that Professor 
sassiz and other members of the Expedition will soon return 
me by the way of San Francisco.— Eps. ] 
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