Antarctic Expeditions
Comer visited Antarctica on several sealing voyages, including: South Georgia (October 9, 1885 – February 11, 1886) and Kerguelen Island (November 24, 1887 – February 5, 1888).
On his third voyage, he was Second Mate on the American schooner, the Francis Alleyn that sealed at Gough Island (August 22, 1888 – January 23, 1889). Comer is noted as having written the first account of the island's endemic flightless moorhen, the species Gallinula comeri, named after him. Comer wrote of them:
"They cannot fly and only use their wings to help them in running... They are quite plentiful and can be caught by hand. Could not get on a table three feet high. The bushes grow on the island up to about 2,000 feet (610 m), and these birds are found as far up as the bushes grow... Tip of bill bright yellow, scarlet between the eyes. Legs and feet yellow, with reddish spots."
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