i 9 i i] ON THE BEARDMORE GLACIER 209 



illuminated the sky and apparently objects at a great distance 

 from the camera. It is evident that there may be very great 

 possibilities in the use of this light for signalling purposes and 

 I propose to have some experiments. 



N.B. Magnesium flashlight as signalling apparatus in the 

 summer. 



Another crab-eater seal was secured to-day; he had come 

 up by the bergs. 



Monday, June 5. The wind has been S. all day, sky over- 

 cast and air misty with snow crystals. The temperature has gone 

 steadily up and to-night rose to -f- 16 . Everything seems to 

 threaten a blizzard which cometh not. But what is to be made 

 of this extraordinary high temperature heaven only knows. 

 Went for a walk over the rocks and found it very warm and 

 muggy. 



Taylor gave us a paper on the Beardmore Glacier. He has 

 taken pains to work up available information; on the ice side he 

 showed the very gradual gradient as compared with the Ferrar. 

 If crevasses are as plentiful as reported, the motion of glacier 

 must be very considerable. There seem to be three badly cre- 

 vassed parts where the glacieT is constricted and the fall is 

 heavier. 



Geologically he explained the rocks found and the problems 

 unsolved. The basement rocks, as to the north, appear to be 

 reddish and grey granites and altered slate (possibly bearing 

 fossils). The Cloudmaker appears to be diorite; Mt. Buckley 

 sedimentary. The suggested formation is of several layers of 

 coal with sandstone above and below; interesting to find if it 

 is so and investigate coal. Wood fossil conifer appears to have 

 come from this better to get leaves wrap fossils up for 

 protection. 



Mt. Dawson described as pinkish limestone, with a wedge 

 of dark rock; this very doubtful ! Limestone is of great interest 

 owing to chance of finding Cambrian fossils (Archeocyathus). 



He mentioned the interest of finding here, as in Dry Valley, 

 volcanic cones of recent date (later than the recession of the 

 ice). As points to be looked to in Geology and Physiography: 



1. Hope Island shape. 



2. Character of wall facets. 



3. Type of tributary glaciers cliff or curtain, broken. 



VOL. I 14 



