FaWands, elc] FLOEA ANTARCTICA. 215 



late Admiral D'Urville visited these islands during Admiral Duperrey's voyage in the French 

 corvette ' la Coquille,' and added some additional species to those of Gaudichaud, and these 

 were described in the " Annales de la Societe Linneenne de Paris." More recently Mr. Darwin 

 formed a small collection of Falkland Island plants, as did Mr. Wright, a mercantile gentle- 

 man, and Captain Sulivan, now commanding H. M. S. ' Philomel,' who had previously visited 

 this group during Captain Fitzroy's voyage*. The ' Erebus ' and ' Terror' remained in Berke- 

 ley Sound for the five winter months of IS 4.0 ; during which year almost all the previously 

 known species were gathered, with numerous others, especially Cryptogamia, by myself and 

 Dr. Lyall, whose beautiful collection of the interesting Algce of this group of itself forms an 

 important addition to Antarctic Botany. 



Considering the distance of the Falkland Islands from the continent, their size, the extent 

 of surface covered with vegetation, and above all, their geological formation and the nature 

 of their climate, the number of peculiar species is very insignificant ; such circumstances gene- 

 rally accompanying or being indicative of a concomitant change in botanical features, specific 

 difference itself being by some attributed wholly to the operation of these causes, and the 

 immutability of species thence called in question. The Falkland Islands appear ill adapted 

 to the more striking vegetation of Fuegia or of Patagonia, if we may judge from the absence 

 of trees and even of such bushes as Berberis, Uscallonia, Fuchsia, Bibcs, &c, which grow in 

 the former country and to all of which the changeable nature of the climate is injurious ; 

 while, on the other hand, the mean temperature is too low for the Leguminosce, Mahacece, and 

 other predominant Orders of Patagonia. It is more remarkable that some of the plants of 

 each are seen, composing together the whole vegetation, yet appearing unchanged by a climate 

 that is certainly unfavourable to the general flora of those distant regions where these very 

 species most abound. To conclude by an example, Sisyrinchium and Oxalis enneaphylla wall 

 not associate themselves with the Tassac and Eiiipelrum in Cape Horn, nor are Astclia and 

 CaltJia appendiculata to be found in company with Nassauvia and Calceolaria Fotliergillii on 

 the coast of Patagonia, though all these may be seen growing side by side in the Falklands in 

 the greatest profusion. 



Immediately to the south of Cape Horn are groups of islands, and possibly a larger body of 

 land. Vegetation in the Southern Hemisphere reaches the northern shores of these inhospitable 

 spots, where, at a distance of no less than thirty-six degrees from the actual Pole and three 

 degrees to the northward of the Antarctic circle, the flora of the south finds its extreme limit. 



The South Shetlands have been visited by an American gentleman of scientific acquire- 

 ments, Dr. Eights, who detected a small species of Grass, the Aira antarctica, Hook., (Icon. 

 Plant, vol. ii. t. 150), the most Antarctic flowering plant hitherto discovered. One of the 

 group, Deception Island, was explored by Captain Foster in H. M. S. ' Chanticleer,' and we 



* Whilst this sheet is passing through the press I have received a collection from the Falkland Islands, con- 

 taining some highly interesting plants, from W. Chartres, Esq., Surgeon of H. M. S. ' Philomel '. 



