62 



NATURE 



{Nov, 1 6, i87( 



number of persons who have been admitted for the first 

 time since the museum was opened, July 1872, is about 

 4,000. There is a society in connection with the 

 museum which meets monthly, having for its object 

 original research. Papers have been contributed, amongst 

 others, by Dr. Grierson, Dr. Sharp of the London Entomo- 



logical Society, and Mr. Shaw, schoolmaster. Dr. Sharf 

 gave an exhaustive account of the Colorado beetle, and 

 Mr. Shaw illustrated, by means of large diagrams, Darwin 

 Lubbock, and Miiller's discoveries on the fertilisation ol 

 flowers by insects. J. ShaW 



Tynron, Thornhill 



THE AUSTRIAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION^ 



NO doubt most of our readers have some acquaintance 

 with the story of the memorable Austro-Hungarian 

 Arctic Expedition in the Te^etthoff wn^tx the leadership of 

 Lieutenants Payer and Weyprecht. We have at various 

 times since the return of the expedition, upwards of two 

 years ago, given details of the adventures of the party 



and of the results obtained ; in vol. x. p. 524, we publishei 

 a map showing the geographical discoveries which ha( 

 been made. In the work named below all who hav 

 heard anything of the expedition or who take an interes 

 in Arctic exploration will be glad to have a complet 

 history of its doings from the artistic and graphic pen 

 one of its commanders, Lieut. Payer. We venture ti 

 think that Payer's narrative is likely to take its plac 



The Austrian Flag Planted at Cape Fligely. 



among the classics of Arctic exploration ; the skill with 

 which he has told the story of an expedition so full of 

 strange and unexpected events, the enthusiasm and inte- 

 rest which mark every page, its pathos and humour, the 

 value of the information it contains, and the attraction of 

 its numerous illustrations, are sure to make it a permanent 

 favourite with old and young, and constitute it an autho- 

 rity on Arctic matters generally. 



The Tegetlhoff, a screw steamer, expressly built for the 

 purpose of this expedition, of 220 tons burden, fitted out 

 for two years and a half, left Bremerhaven June 13, 1872, 

 and Trom-oc about a month later, for the purpose of 

 exploring the Arctic Seas in the Novaya Zemlya region. 

 The vessel was equipped mainly at the expense of the 



' " New Lands within the Arctic Circle. Narrative of the Discoveries of 

 the Austrian Ship Tcgctthoff in the Years 1872-1874." By Julius Payer, one 

 of the Commanders of the Expedition. Maps and numerous Illustrations. 

 Twovols. (London; Macmillaa and Co , 1876,) 



Austrian Count Wilczek, and, including officers and mer 

 had only twent) -four souls on board. The ultimate de: 

 tination of the expedition was not rigidly defined ; the 

 might make their exit by Behring Straits, or winter o 

 the Siberian coast, or on any lands which they might b 

 fortunate enough to discover. The first ice was met wit 

 in about 74° N., near the coast of Spitzbergen, and 

 remained with the ship more or less till the end. Onl 

 the year before, in a preliminary reconnaissance in a sma 

 sailing vessel, the Isbjbrn, by Count Wilczek, the se 

 between Spitzbergen and Novaya Zemlya was found t 

 be almost free of ice, and with a properly-equipped stean: 

 vessel there seemed to be no obstacle to pushing nortl 

 wards indefinitely. In 1872 things wore a very differer 

 aspect. The ice was entered in 74° N., and it require 

 careful navigation to reach Cape Nassau, near which th 

 Tegetthoff was overtaken by Count Wilczek in th 



