Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/159

During the winter alone in the South Orkneys, in Scotia Bay and Jessie Bay, the Scottish naturalists caught upwards of 2,000 fish, which served not only for zoological requirements, but also as an excellent supply of fresh food. Besides fishes, examples of almost every class of invertebrate animals were secured. So large are the collections of the Scottish Expedition alone, that it is difficult to do more than refer the reader to the official reports. But it will give a good idea of what the result of the deep-sea trawling operations were, if some quotations are given from these volumes. Here is one from the author's own log, which gives some idea of a day's work at trawling, as well as of a zoological catch, in the far south, and in tolerably deep water. "March 18th, 71° 22′ S., 16′ 34′ W. Barometer falling slightly, 29.206 to 28.84 inches, temperature steady, 28° to 29° F. Wind, gentle, with westerly breezes till 8 a.m., N.E. to N. afterwards. Fine clear though overcast weather, with occasional light showers of snow. We sounded from 6.45 a.m. to 8.15 a.m., in 1,410 fathoms, and took five serial temperatures from surface to the bottom. The trawl with 2,400 fathoms (=2¾ miles) of cable out, which registered a strain of 2½ tons, brought up one of the two richest hauls we have had, that of the Burdwood Bank possibly