SPITSBERGEN 

 ITS NATURAL HISTORY AND RESOURCES 



By V. S. SUMMERHAYES. B.Sc. 



Member of the O.U.E.S., June 192 1; Quain Student of Biology, University 



College, London. 



To many Spitsbergen is but a name, or perhaps a shadowy 

 phantom in some way connected with the Peace Conference ; 

 to others who study their atlases and note the geographical 

 position of Spitsbergen its character becomes more definite. 

 By these people, however, it is probably dismissed as an ice- 

 bound and snow-covered desolate tract, when they discover its 

 latitude — between 76° and 81° N. This estimate is, in some 

 ways, a just one as far as the greater part of the year is 

 concerned. 



Very few people, except those who have visited Spitsbergen, 

 realise what a wonderful country it is at its best. In addition 

 to natural beauties of a very high standard, which would 

 appeal to all, Spitsbergen presents to those who have a scientific 

 bent some problems of absorbing interest. 



Spitsbergen is an archipelago composed of a large number 

 of islands, of which two — West Spitsbergen and North-East 

 Land — compose the majority of the area, while of other islands, 

 Edge Island, Barents Island, and Prince Charles Foreland are 

 important. Bear Island, which, though some way off, belongs 

 naturally to the group, is also interesting. 



A careful study of the map and a mental comparison with 

 surrounding districts reveal the first remarkable feature of 

 the country. This is referred to above — namely, its extremely 

 high latitude. A comparison with Greenland, generally looked 

 upon as a typical arctic country, shows that the greater part 

 of that country lies further south than Spitsbergen. The same 

 applies to the North-American archipelago and to the Arctic 

 regions of Siberia. Yet during the summer months — June, 

 July, and August — Spitsbergen enjoys a climate very similar, 

 and in some respects superior, to that of England in January. 

 This wonderful summer climate is, of course, common to many 

 Arctic and Antarctic countries, but nowhere else are such con- 



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