MB. II. N. MOSELEV ON THE FLORA. OF MARION ISLAND. 481 



Contributions to the Botanv of H.M.S. ' Challenger.' 



XXXYI. Notes on the Flora of Marion Island. By H. N. 



Moselet; Esq., M.A. (Communicated by Professor Oliver 

 F.R.S., F.L.S.) 



* 



[Bead November 16, 1876.] 



The centre of Marion Island is in lat. 46° 52' S., long. 57° 45' E., 

 that of Prince-Edward Island in lat. 46° 36' S., long. 37° 57' E.' 

 Lyons being in a nearly corresponding latitude in the northern 

 hemisphere. 



The islands are distant from the Crozets (which lie a little to the 

 north or west of them, and are the nearest land) 450 miles. The 

 African continent is distant from them about 960 miles, the nearest 

 point being about Cape Recife at Algoa Bay. From Kerguelen's 

 Land the Marion islands are distant about 1200 miles, from 

 Lindsay and Bouvet islands about 1400 miles, from Tristan 

 d'Acunha and Gough Islands about 2150 miles ; and, lastly, from 

 the Falkland Islands and Fuegia (to which, in common with all 

 the other Antarctic islands hitherto examined, except the Camp- 

 bell and Auckland group, they are in their flora most nearly 

 related) they are distant about 4500 geographical miles. 



The islands lie, as do the Crozets and Kerguelen's Land, well 

 within the course of the Antarctic drift, which, fusing with the 

 Cape-Horn current, sweeps in an easterly direction across the 

 Antarctic sea and further within the broad belt of nrpvnlpnfc 

 westerly winds. The combined action of the 

 rent have, no doubt, brought about in greater part the diffusion of 

 the Fuegian and Falkland-Island plants to the islands lying east- 

 ward of them ; but it is possible that the multitude of sea-birds 

 inhabiting the islands, and nesting, as they do, amongst the her- 

 a ge, may have been of influence in the matter by transporting 

 seeds attached to their feathers or feet. Most of the birds are 

 of widely wandering habits. 



The island of Marion, the larger of the two forming the group, 

 and on which alone of the two an opportunity of landing was 

 afforded, is about 11 miles in length, 8 in extreme breadth, and 

 about 80 square miles in area. The highest point is about 4250 

 feet above the sea-level. The island is entirely volcanic, and 

 presents the usual features of volcanic islands which are of con- 

 siderable age. The highest land is in the centre ; and irregular 



wnjt. joukn.— botany, vol. xv. 2 o 



Wl 



