Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1875-08-19
ANIMAL LIFE IN THE POLAR
REGIONS.

valuable work on the part of the natu.
ralists of the present Arctic Expedition
in using their best endeavors not only
to complete as far as possible the ex-
isting catalogue of the birds of Green
land by noting the appearance of any
species not already known to inhabit
those regions, but also, as is rightly
pointed out by Mr. l.. A. Sclater in the
instructions which have been prepared
by him, by rendering our present knowl-
edge of the species that occur there
more perfect by additional observations
on them. In The Arctic Manual, in the
very excellent notes which Prof. Alfred
Newton has compiled on the subject of the
birds of Greenland, he especially notices
that this branch of scientific inquiry
has been grievously neglected in form
er expeditions, and remarks upon the
extremely meager natural history sup
plements which appeared in the several
published voyages of Parry and Ross;
for, rs he observes, these works excite
regret at the glorious opportunities SO
ingloriously missed through the alb
sence of special naturalis:s, and are
only redeemed from utter opprobrium
by the Zeal of volunteers. Happily the
present expedition has not gone out so
badly prepared to make use of such op-
portunities as may offer in this respect,
two experienced naturalists being borne
on the books Of the exploring vessels.
The careful notes, too, of Prof. Newton
will supply these naturalists with good
basis on which to work, while the in
structions point out to them the differ
ent books on birds which it is specially
desirable for them to consult in order
to determine whether the specimens
they may happen to fall in with be-
long to the European or the American
species. In making these collections
their attention is particularly directed
to making observations ON the four fol-
lowing points:
a. The alteration in the general
character of the ayifauna as the expe-
dition proceeds north.
(2.) A complete record of the species
observed and obtained in the north, af-
ter Smith Sound is entered, and the ex-
treme northern limit Of the occurrence
of each of them.
(3.) The exact time Of arrival of the
immigrants from the south after the
Arctic Winter, as likewise of their de-
parture southwark in the Autumn.
a. The habits of the species that
are found nesting, that is, as regards
the date and the mode of their nesting
and its continuance.
1t is rather open to remark that in
the third point which We have Just quo
ted, the question of their proceeding
south at the approach of Winter seems
TO be taken for granted, whereas some
explorers have reported that they have
seen swarms of them flying northward,
and this, indeed, is one argument in IA
vor of there being an open Polar Sea in
existence. Whether this supposed north
ern flight has been only flight of i'm
agination or not, the birds really at the
time being simply circling. though ap-
parently proceeding to higher latitudes,
is question to which it is to be hoped
particular attention will be paid in the
present researches. 1t is worthy of note.
however, that on the shores of the North
Pacific the opinion obtains to a great
extent that the sea birds are in the hab-
1t of migrating northward at the ap-
preach of Winter, going like the wind no
man knows whittier.
In Prof. Newton's notes, he has Civ
en- n most exhaustive list of the numer-
Gus birds that have been seen hitherto
in Greenland, numbering no less than
l25 IN all. but in order TO distinguish
the actual denizens of the country from
the mere stragglers, he has printed the
latter, of which he enumerates sixty-two
different species, in italics. The re-
manning sixty-three he has again sub
divided into those which may he expec-
ted to be met with in Smith Sound and
those which though known 10 breed in
Greenland Yet may not be expected to
occur north Of the DANISH settlements
situated along Baffn's Bay. As this
latter class of actual denixens, that is to
say, birds which either breed or annu-
ally frequent the Arctic shores, is much
too large to he dealt with here. il will
be sufficient to touch upon those prin-
cipal ones whose manners and customs
make them specially interesting.
The closest attendant upon the whal-
ing vessels is the fulmar or mallemoke
(Prooelldrid sldeialis), a petrol nearly as
large as q gull, and properly denomina-
ted 'the bird of the Storm" for il
seems to fit about on the crested waves
Of storm as easily as duck upon a