president's address. 153 



In the Address to the Royal Geographical Society in July, 1894, 

 ))y Clements R. Markham, C.B., F.R.S., it was stated (p. 9) that 

 "from Payer's furthest point in 82° 5' K, a water sky made its 

 appearance in the north, the temperature rose, and the rocks 

 were covered with thousands of auks and guillemots. From a 

 height Payer looked down on a dark sheet of open water dotted 

 with icebergs." On April 12 the thermometer was at 54° Fahr. 

 In the discussion following the reading of Dr. Murray's address, 

 Mr. W. S. Bruce, of the Jason, said (op. cit. p. 36) that as far 

 north as man has penetrated in Arctic regions "he has found 

 reindeer, flowers and bees, brilliant sunshine, and the country 

 green; but in midsummer in the Antarctic no plant grows — the 

 summer sun is not sufficient to melt the snow. The temperature 

 observations on our voyage show that in the height of summer 

 the average range of the thermometer is below 32°, and that in 

 the latitude corresponding to the Shetland and Faroe Islands in 

 the north. "^ 



Dr. Murra}?- also states that " No land animal, and no trace of 

 vegetation — not even a lichen or a piece of seaweed — has been 

 found on land within the Antarctic circle."! 



Briefly summarised, what is known at present about the 

 Antarctic Continent is this: — A. Its outline is probably something 

 like that shown on the map exhibited, enlarged from Dr. Murray's 

 map. That there really is a continent there and not merel}' a 

 group of islands is proved by the following facts :— 



(1) The great ice barrier is a vast land glacier which must 

 have a gathering ground of continental proportions, 

 estimated b}^ Dr. Murray as being slightly larger, 

 perhaps, than that of Australia, namely, about 4,000,000 

 square miles. 



* These observations, however, do not agree with those recently made by 

 Mr. C. E. Borchgrevink of the whaler Antarctic. See Note 1, at end of 

 this address. 



+ See Note 2, at end of this address. 



