Scientific Expedition to the Antartic Regions, 33 



VIII. — Instructions relative to Botany and Vegetable Phy- 

 siology, for the Scientific Expedition to the Antarctic Re- 

 gions, prepared by the President and Council of the Royal 

 Society^. 



The duty of the Botanist should be, to collect specimens and pre- 

 serve evidence concerning every department of Botany and Vegetable 

 Physiology, not merely in illustration of these subjects as branches 

 of science, but with reference to purposes of general utility. 



The vegetation of the Antarctic regions and of the most southern 

 countries which the expedition may visit, should be an object of 

 especial attention, for however sterile and uninviting a place may 

 appear to be, it is most desirable to know exactly what plants those 

 regions produce. Here, therefore, and at all other places, as com- 

 plete an herbarium as possible should be formed. At Kerguelen's 

 land, of which the Flora is so little known, this is especially neces- 

 sary : even at St. Helena, the Cape of Good Hope, and Hobart Town, 

 carefully as the botany of these places has been examined, a dried 

 collection of plants should be made, especially of the lower orders of 

 phaenogamous vegetation and of aquatic and submersed plants, 

 whether of fresh or salt water. Fungi also, and Rhizanths, should 

 be diligently sought for, and all those minute species of cryptogamic 

 plants which are parasites. 



Though but little accession to our knowledge of Systematic Bo- 

 tany can be anticipated at any of the principal stations of the expe- 

 dition, many new and interesting facts may be collected in Physio- 

 logical Botany, if anomalous forms of vegetation be examined, as 

 concerning these so little that is positive has as yet been ascertained 

 in foreign countries. Collections should be made of the stems of Ca- 

 suarinas, Urticaceous trees, and of twining woody plants, the internal 

 structure of which is frequently at variance with the ordinary plan 

 of vegetable formation. Diligent search should also be made for 

 cases of the occurrence of the embryo buds of Dutrochet. It is 

 probable that attention skilfully directed to these last productions 

 will throw light upon some of the most obscure points of Vegetable 

 Physiology. Most of the specimens of this kind may be preserved 

 in a dry state ; but as some will require to be kept moist, it is re- 



* The President and Council having been informed by the Lords Commissioners 

 of the Admiralty that it had been determined, in conformity with their recom- 

 mendation, to send out Captain James C. Ross on an Antarctic Expedition for 

 scientific objects, and having been requested to communicate any suggestions upon 

 subjects to which they might wish his attention to be called, referred the consi- 

 deration of each to distinct Committees. We have selected those reports which 

 are connected with the subject of our Journal. — Ed. 



Ann. Nat. Hist. Vol.4. No. 21. Sept. 1839. d 



