54 NOTES ON THE PLANTS AND INSECTS OF KEBGUELEN. 



* 



Kerguelen, is enormously abundant in Betsy Cove and about 

 Royal Sound, forming large beds. 



The insects we found at Kerguelen were two apterous flies, 

 one as large as a housefly, the other almost as big as a blowfly, an 

 apterous gnat (Culex) and a winged gnat, a small apterous (or 

 rather very short-winged) moth, two or three beetles (Curculio 

 and Staphylinidse), and three or four spiders {Saltici and a Trom- 



bidium). 



The moth I found crawling upon the beds of the little Juncus. 

 The gnats are to be found about the dead seaweed &c. on the sea- 

 shore. The larger fly nestles at the bases of the leaves of Pringlea, 

 and lays its eggs in the fluid which is caught there. I never 

 found it elsewhere ; but there it is extraordinarily abundant, and 

 every cabbage yielded ten or a dozen specimens. The fly creeps 

 in a slow lazy manner. I am very sorry I did not observe whether 

 it climbs to the inflorescence in sunshiny weather ; perhaps this 

 may be the case. This is an instance of one of those " neglected 

 opportunities " to which you refer in the * Flora Antarctica,' as 

 so galling in the retrospect. Even at Heard [ 5Tong] Island I found 

 the same apterous fly nestling on Pringlea in abundance. Perhaps 

 the two forms have some relation of mutual benefit. 



On one Pringlea plant I found twenty-eight flower-stalks. 

 Three were fresh, of the recent season's growth. The others ap- 

 peared to belong, by their successive amount of decay, to eight 

 preceding seasons. At Christmas Harbour all the Pringlea seed 

 was unripe, whilst in the inner and sheltered parts of Royal 

 Sound, towards the south of the island, a very large quantity was 



ripe. 



The Leptinella forms immense and luxuriant beds of light 

 bluish green, very conspicuous as seen from seawards on the coast 

 round the rookeries of the shag (Phalacrocoracc carunculatus), and 

 everywhere thrives and luxuriates w r here the soil is enriched by 

 dung. Hence also nearly all the old seal- and sea-elephant rook- 

 eries, so conspicuous from their hummocky appearance, are covered 

 with Leptinella, which forms a soft bed for the very few of these 



beasts which yet remain. 



* * * 



We dredged in sight of the Kermadecs all one day ; but no 

 landing was arranged. I was very much disappointed. 



