Résultats du Voyage du SY Belgica en 1897, 1898, 1899, sous le Commandemant de A de Gerlache de Gomery

Abstract

THE cruise of the steam-yacht Belgica, organised by the Belgian Government, may be regarded as the first of the series of expeditions fitted out during the last few years to explore the Antarctic and to collect systematically its zoological and botanical products. Consequently, it fell to the lot of this expedition to be the first to bring back specimens of certain animals previously known, more or less imperfectly, by examples obtained by the early expeditions to the South Polar regions, such as that of the Erebus and Terror. The most noticeable instance of this is afforded by the seal known as Ommatophoca rossi, which had been previously known only by two skulls and a skin brought home by the Erebus and Terror Expedition (1839–43). Fortunately, the fasciculus of the Rapports dealing with the seals (by Captain Barrett-Hamilton) was published in 1902, and ante-dates the British Museum report on the Southern Cross Expedition, thereby securing to the Belgica the full credit for having been the first to increase our knowledge of this interesting species.

Résultats du Voyage du S.Y. Belgica en 1897, 1898, 1899, sous le Commandemant de A. de Gerlache de Gomery.

Rapports scientifiques. (1) Zoology and Botany. (2) Astronomy and Meteorology. (Antwerp, 1902–4.)