54- 



NA TURE 



[Oct. 4, 1883 



Between June 24 and 27 we were cruising in the pack- 

 ice from 74 to J»6° 5' lat., where we sighted Conical 

 Rock. It was, however, impossible to penetrate towards 

 Cape York, but only to the north-west. As we saw 

 a fjord north-east of Conical Rock, which was, how- 

 ever, not marked on the chart, we steered into it and cast 

 anchor. Seeing some human beings on the shore, we 

 landed, and found them to be a couple of Esquimaux fami- 

 lies, rude and uncivilised, but obliging. They only stay 

 here in the summer for catching the rotges which 

 breed here in large numbers, while during the winter they 

 sojourn on an island in Wolstenholme Sound, where they 

 hunt the walrus. They possessed, however, no boats. 

 We purchased some of their tools, &c, clothes of birds' 

 skin, and some bear and fox hides. 



( >n July 27 we sent two Esquimaux to examine the ice 

 towards Cape York, who came back and reported that it 

 was still lying along the south-east coast. For four days we 

 attempted to penetrate northwards, running the ship in 

 every direction where we saw a lead, but, as we every- 

 where encountered the ice barrier and were several times 

 in great danger of being crushed, we "stood about," and 

 arrived at Upernivik on the night of August 1. 



It appears thus that the last severe winter in Greenland 

 has also extended up Smith's Sound, as an example of 

 which I may mention that Nares, who on the same day 

 as we, in 1875, steamed up Smith's Sound towards Cape 

 York, found the sea entirely free from ice. 



That the chief object of this part of the expedition, 

 while in my command, should not have been realised, I 

 extremely regret; but I console myself with the fact that 

 every effort in human power was done in order to carry it 

 out. 



I may say, however, that the exceedingly rich, zoologi- 

 cal, botanical, and hydrographical fruits of the expedition 

 towards Cape York and back, fully repay the cost and 

 labour of the voyage. We leave here (August 2) for the 

 Waigat, where I intend continuing my geological re- 

 searches, while the rest of the expedition on board start 

 on a four day's zoological and hydrographic excursion 

 towards America. When that is over we start for 

 Egedesmindc, to take Nordenskjold on board. 



Dr. Berlin, who accompanied Nordenskjold on his 

 journey on the ice in Greenland, writes as follows:— 



On July 3 the march began from the Auleitsivik Fjord. 

 The parly consisted of Nordenskjold, myself, Sergeant 

 Kjellstrom, the second mate llcrr fohannesen, two 

 hunters, Scvalsen and Knemmer, two sailors, and the 

 -, Anders and Lars. We reached on sleighs, ac- 

 cording to solar observations, eighty miles (English) 

 inland, reckoned from the ice border, when the Lapps 

 sent forward 130 miles further, a distance fixed by 

 their own judgment, which may be fully relied on. This 

 was done because the deep, loose snow prevented us pro- 

 ceeding on sleighs, while it was eminently suitable for 

 the "skidor," or snow "runners" (they are not "shoes") 

 of the Lapps. We found no "ice-free" country, in fact 

 the latter may, by this expedition, be fully proved not to 

 neither in this nor in any other latitude in Greenland. 

 B) the above-mentioned calculation, and estimating the 

 shore-line at seventy miles inland, we have succeeded in 

 reaching 280 miles into Greenland, which is more than 

 hall its width, while the Lapps, from their point of return, 

 saw the land a good distance further east. The ice rose 

 at the furthest spot reached to 7000 feet above the sea, 

 and was still seen to rise to the east. The journey lasted 

 a month. 





THE PRESENT CONDITION OF FISH 

 CULTURE 



YY'lTHIN the past few years the science of fish culture 

 has made rapid progress, and radical changes 

 have been made both in the apparatus and methods em- 



ployed. Experience has enabled the fish-culturists to 

 improve upon the old forms of hatching-boxes and 

 troughs, while the propagation of additional species has 

 necessitated the invention of new forms. The Interna- 

 tional Fisheries Exhibition, now in progress in London, 

 has brought together valuable collections from the leading 

 specialists of all parts of the world. A study of these 

 enables one to form a very correct idea of the present 

 condition of the science. 



The subject is now sufficiently understood to warrant a 

 division of the hatching apparatus into four classes: (1) 

 apparatus for heavy eggs ; (2) for semi-buoyant eggs ; (3) 

 for floating eggs ; (4) for adhesive eggs. 



Heavy eggs like those of the salmon and trout are 

 hatched with little difficulty. An almost endless variety 

 of apparatus intended for eggs of this class is ex- 

 hibited, but it may all be referred to one of three 

 divisions depending upon the direction of the current of 

 water, namely, that with a horizontal current, that with 

 an upward current, and that with a downward current. 

 Apparatus of the kind first mentioned is most commonly 

 employed, but that with an upward current has many 

 points of superiority. Chief among these are economy 

 of space, saving of water, and the prevention of injurious 

 sedimentary deposits. In the United States, where, 

 owing to the enormous quantity of eggs handled, economy 

 ot space is a necessity, the upward current is quite gene- 

 rally employed. A number of I he American forms are 

 provided with from ten to fifteen wire trays; these, when 

 filled with eggs, are placed one above another, so that the 

 entire volume of water must pass through each of them 

 on its way through the compartment. 



Semi-buoyant eggs, like those of the shad (Alosa 

 sapidissima) and whitefish {Congonns clupeiforinis) re- 

 quire a treatment entirely different from those already 

 mentioned, as their specific gravity is but slightly greater 

 than that of fresh water, and they are easily carried 

 about by the currents. The best results are obtained by 

 directing an upward current against the eggs, thus pro- 

 ducing a gentle but constant motion, and keeping them 

 partially or wholly suspended in the water. As little 

 attention is now given to hatching semi-buoyant eggs 

 outside of the United States and Canada, the collections 

 of these countries contain nearly everything of interest in 

 this class. We find here various forms of floating boxes 

 adapted to river currents, apparatus fed by water which 

 is introduced under pressure through closed pipes, and 

 mechanical apparatus requiring motive power. The first - 

 named is admissible where the work is limited or where 

 rigid economy is a necessity. The second is preferable 

 in any city where hydrant water can be obtained or when 

 the work is sufficiently extensive to warrant the use of 

 a pumping-engine. The third is occasionally employed 

 where large quantities of eggs are hatched, but it is more 

 expensive than the one last named, and the results are 

 usually less satisfactory. Apparatus of the second kind 

 is ordinarily made of glass, its efficiency depending largely 

 upon the motion imparted to the eggs and the position of 

 the outflow through which the waste water and dead eggs 

 escape. This opening in nearly all of the apparatus ex- 

 hibited is placed at the top of the jar, and a current strong 

 enough to carry off all of the dead eggs frequently carries 

 many of the good ones with it, while the motion of those 

 that remain is often so violent as to cause serious injury 

 An improvement in apparatus of this class has recently 

 been made by Marshall McDonald of Washington, D.C. 

 His apparatus consists of a closed jar having an outflow 

 through a glass tube which passes into the interior of the 

 jar, and can be raised or lowered at will. With this ap- 

 paratus the dead eggs are easily removed by the slightest 

 currents, and excellent results are obtained. 



More difficulty is experienced in finding suitable appar- 

 atus for floating eggs, like those of the cod (Gadus 

 morrkua), than for any other class. Only five forms in- 

 tended for floating eggs are exhibited. None of these I 



