44 MACQUAKIK ISLAND AND ITS FDTUKK, 



Tasmania for some 70 years past, efforts < 5) were made 

 to have it transferred to New Zealand, but without success. 



As a result of this awakening- to the existence of Mac- 

 quarie Island the Tasmanian Government passed regula- 

 tions(6) prohibitinjr the killing of seals of any kind. Hence- 

 forth a permit was needed granting permission to kill. 



There are rumours that representatives of the New 

 Zealand Government have again recently probed the 

 ground to ascertain whether the Tasmanian Government 

 still holds the same opinion with regard to the transfer. 



Macquarie Island is somewhat over 20 miles in length,, 

 and not exceeding SL miles in width, with the long axis 

 nearly north and south acruss the direction of the prevalent 

 winds. It represents the backbone of a ridge which can be 

 traced for a long distance beneath the sea, reappearing 8 

 miles to the north in the Judge and Clerk rock, and again 

 20 miles south from the southern extremity in the Bishop 

 arid Clerk, another isolated spray-swept outpost. 



The land rises steeply from the sea except here and 

 there along the coast, where strips of a boggy, raised beach 

 platform intervene. The summit of the island is an undu- 

 lating plateau at almost 1,000ft, above sea level, dotted at 

 intervals with lakelets at least partly of glacial origin. 

 Evidence is everywhere afforded that the island was over- 

 whelmed with an ice sheet in the recent past, though no 

 permanent ice now remains. The rocks are chiefly vol- 

 canic — basic lavas, agglomerates, and cinder beds. 



The climate in terms of our own, here in Australia, is 

 rather a miserable one. The mean annual temperature 

 ranges between 38 deg. F. and 40 deg. F., and is kept sur- 

 prisingly uniform throughout the year by reason of the 

 great body of the surrounding ocean. The almost con- 

 tinuous strong westerly winds, combined with fogs and 

 driving rain, result in a climate almost, but not actually, 

 glacial. 



As to the vegetable and animal life'") sustained by 

 this comparatively inhospitable spot, little can be said of 

 the former beyond that the island supports no tree growth, 

 the only vegetation being rank tussock grass, Kerguelen 



(6) Seo N.Z. Pari. Papers App. to Journal of Houho of Kops., Scttii. 

 II.. 1891 A. -5 In com. of A. -5 IhOO. 



(6) Under Section 12 of the KJHherien Act, 1HH9 (5.1 Vict.. No. 11) ; 

 proclamation ixsued in Ihitl by the Tojimnnian Governmenl, and pub- 

 li»hcd in the Ilob.irt Cuzillr. 2\»l Apl.. lt-91. 



(7) For a <lt'tnil<>ci account r<'fer t<i "The Home of tlic niizr.ard." 

 by D. MawHon. Heinemann and Co. 1916. 



