168 
Messrs. Evans and Sturge on the 
hardly distinguishable from those of the Great Black-backed 
Gull ( Larus marinus , L.), which bird, however, has never, we 
believe, been found in Spitzbergen, though abundant enough 
even in the north of Norway. The specimen so faithfully repre¬ 
sented by W. C. Hewitson in the last edition of his f Eggs of 
British Birds* (pi. 141. fig. 2), was obtained by us on this occa¬ 
sion. After remaining a short time on this island, we rowed to 
a similar, but much larger one, not far off, where there at first 
seemed a probability of meeting with a White Bear ( TJrsus mari- 
timus , L.); but the ice still connecting it with the main land, 
our men pronounced it useless to look for one there,—the only 
chance of finding them being, that the ice, on breaking up, 
often leaves them isolated, when they become easy victims. 
The tracks of Arctic Foxes ( Cams lag opus t L.) were very nume¬ 
rous ; and one, a Blue one, was seen at a great distance. On 
this island we did not find a single nest or egg, the instinct of 
the birds teaching them that its being still united to the main 
land would render-them liable to the depredations of Bears and 
Foxes. 
Returning to our vessel, we proceeded on our voyage north¬ 
ward, but were prevented by ice from entering either Bell Sound 
or Horn Sound, and by fog from having more than an occasional 
glimpse of the land. Nearly the only birds which showed them¬ 
selves were Fulmars (Procellaria glacialis , L.). A Seal, which 
we killed and skinned, on being thrown overboard attracted a 
large flock of these birds, who were at first very timid, only 
skimming over the carcase, and settling on the water at some 
distance from it to reconnoitre; but at last one courageously 
ventured to alight on it, and he would have made a good meal 
had not his feast been soon disturbed by others following his 
example. No end of battles then ensued ; and as we left them 
far in our wake, they had assembled in a vast crowd. Near 
Horn Sound we met with immense numbers of Briinnich*s Guil¬ 
lemots ( Uria brunnichii) and Little Auks ( Arctica alle, Gray), 
which flew about in large flocks, settling close round the vessel, 
playing and diving in all directions, seeming quite regardless of 
our presence, and keeping up a shrill chattering. Fulmars, too, 
were very abundant, skimming swiftly over the water like a 
