252 
THE SCIENTIFIC ORDERS OF THE 
“ CHALLENGER" * 
II, 
II. Chemical Observations 
AMPLES of sea-water should be collected for chemical 
analysis at the surface and at various depths, and in various 
conditions. Each sample should be placed in a Winchester quart 
glass-stoppered bottle, the stopper being tied down with tape 
and sealed in such a manner that the contents cannot be tam- 
pered with. : ; 
2. Portions of the same samples should be, immediately after 
their collection, boiled iz vacuo, the gases collected, their volume 
determined as accurately as may be, and a portion, not less than 
one cubic inch, hermetically sealed in a glass tube, to be sent 
home at any time for complete analysis. 
3. Frequent samples of sea-water taken at the surface, and 
others taken beneath as opportunity offers, should have deter- 
minations of chlorine made upon them at once or as soon as 
convenient. : 
This operation could easily be carried on in any but very 
heavy weather. On the other hand, it is not thought that any 
trustworthy analyses of gases could be made on board ship, 
unless in harbour or in the calmest weather. 
4. Such samples of the sea-bottom as are brought up should 
be carefully dried and preserved for examination and analysis. 
5. The gas contained in the swimming-bladders of fishes 
caught near the surface and at different depths should be pre- 
served for analysis. In each case the species, sex, and size, and 
especially the depth at which the fish was caught, should be 
stated. 
III. Botanical Observations 
The duties of a botanist in travelling are twofold, and in the 
case of the voyage of circumnavigation about to be undertaken 
by H.M.S. Challenger they are of equal importance. — 
Of these, the one refers to forming complete collections of the 
plants of all interesting localities, and especially of the individual 
islands of oceanic groups. 
The other, to making observations upon life, history, and 
structure in the case of plants where special knowledge is con- 
cerned. 
In the first of these the botanist must necessarily be largely 
helped by the assistance to be obtained on board ship from the 
officers and crew, working under his guidance and close super- 
vision. When time and opportunity are wanting for making 
complete collections, preference should be given to the phanero- 
gamous vegetation. 
In the second he will have to depend upon his own resources, 
and will therefore require that the mere process of collection 
does not make too great demands upon his time, although in 
itself exceedingly important, and by no means to be neglected. 
The general directions for travellers, printed in the Admiralty 
Manual of Scientific Inquiry, will of course be kept in view. 
Especial stress must, however, be laid upon the necessity of 
obtaining information about the vegetation of oceanic islands. 
These are, in many cases, the last positions held by floras of 
great antiquity; and, as in the case of St. Helena, they are 
liable to speedily become exterminated, and therefore to pass 
into irremediable oblivion when the islands become occupied. 
Of many that lie not far from the usual tracks of ships, abso- 
lutely nothing is known, whilst of the flora of a vast majority we 
possess most imperfect materials. The following are especially 
worth exploring ; and to the list is added an indication of the 
least explored coast lines of the great continents. AAs far as 
possible complete dried collections should be made, not only 
of each group, but of each islet of the group ; for it is usually 
the case that the floras of contiguous oceanic, islets are wonder- 
fully different. Of those in italics the vegetation is absolutely 
unknown, or all but so. 
1. ATLANTIC Ocean, Capede Verd, Tristan d’Acunha 
Fernando Noronha, Trinidad and Martin Vaz (off the Brazil 
coast), Diego Ramirez, S. Georgia, The African coast between 
Morocco and Senegal, the Gaboon, and Damara Land offer the 
most novel fields, On the American coast, Cayenne, Bahia to 
Cape Frio, Patagonia. 
2. WesT INDiEs. The Bahamas and St. Domingo and the 
Antilles have been very imperfectly explored except Dominica, 
* Continued from p. 193. 
Pate JW OE han OR SED Ce a eee "2 “ , 
: pate See ; (ee eer 
NATURE 
. 
‘[ an. 30, 18 7. 
Trinidad, and Martinique, 
Nicaragua, and the coast region of Mexico, the Mosquito shores, 
and Guatemala offer rich fields for botanical research. 
3. INDIAN OcEAN. The Seychelles, Asmmirantes, Mada- 
gascar, Bourbon, Socotra, St. Paul’s, and Amsterdam Islands, 
Prince Edward’s, the Crozets and Marion groups. Of the E, 
African coast to the north of Natal no part is well explored, and 
the greater part is utterly unknown botfanically, 
4. PaciFIc OCEAN. (1.) N. TEMPERATE, Collections are 
wanted from N. Japan and the Kuriles and Aleutian Islands. 
(2.) TRopIcAL, Considerable collections have been made only in 
the Sandwich Islands, Figi Islands, Tahiti, and New Caledonia ; 
from all of which more are much wanted. The Marquesas, 
New Hebrides, J/arshall’s, Solomon’s and Caroline's, together 
with all the smaller groups, are still less known. Of the 
American continent, the Californian peninsula, Mexico, and the 
whole coast from Lima to Valparaiso, are but imperfectly 
known. Of the small islands off the coast, Juan Fernandez 
and the Galapagos alone have been partially botanised. 3. S. 
TEMPERATE. Juan Fernandez, J/asafuera, St. Felix, and 
Ambroise, Pitcairn, Bounty, Antipodes, Emerald, Macquarie 
Islands. 
5. INDIAN ARCHIPELAGO, Java alone is explored, and the 
Philippines very partially ; collections are especially wanted 
from all the islands east of Java to the Louisiade and Solomon 
Archipelagos, especially Lombok and New Guinea, Siam, 
Cochin China, and the whole Chinese sea-board want explora- 
tion. 
6. AUSTRALIA. 
explored. 
Photographs or careful drawings of tropical vegetation often 
convey interesting information, and should contain some reference 
to a scale of dimensions. 
An inquiry of much importance, for which the present expedi- 
tion affords a favourable opportunity, is that into the vitality of 
seeds exposed to the action of sea-water. 
All the tropical coasts are very partially 
On the mainland, Honduras,’ 
a4 
Observations should especially be made on the fruits and — 
seeds of those plants which have become widely distributed 
throughout the tropical regions of the world, apparently without 
the intervention of man; but further observations on other 
plants of different natural orders may be of great value with 
reference to questions of geographical distribution, 
The following instructions have been drawn up for the 
botanical collectors as to objects of special attention at particular 
places :— 
Porto Rico.—In collecting, distinguish the plants of the Sa- 
vannahs from those of the mountains, which, if possible, should 
be ascended. The palms and tree-ferns are quite unknown; 
marine algze also are wanted. 
Cape de Verdes,—Make for the highest peaks, where the 
vegetation is peculiar, and analogous to that of Madeira and the 
Canaries. 
Fernando de Noronha.—Land if possible. Very remarkable 
plants are said to occur, different from those of Brazil. A 
Trinidad.—A complete collection is required. A tree-fern 
exists, but the species is unknown. : 
Prince Edward’s Island and Croszets.—Two spots more in 
teresting for the exploration of their vegetation do not exist upon 
the face of the globe. Every effort should be made to make a 
complete collection. ; 
Kerguelen’s Land.—A thorough exploration should be made, 
and the cryptogamic plants and alge diligently collected. The 
Antarctic Expedition was only there in midwinter ; flowering 
specimens of /ringlea are wanted. 
Auckland and Campbell Islands.—The floras should be wel 
explored. . 
South Pacific and Indian Oceans.—Attend to general instruc- 
tions, more especially as regards palms and large monoco- 
tyledons generally. Marine alge are said to be scarce, and should 
be looked for all the more diligently. In the North Pacific, 
south temperate alga are said to prevail. 
Aleutian [slands.—Collections are particularly wanted, 
Every effort should be made to land onislands detween Jat, 30° 
N. and 30° S. along the marked track (between Vancouver 
Island and Valparaiso), so as to connect the vegetation of the 
American continent with the traces of it that exist in the 
Sandwich Islands. 
Straits of Magellan.—Cryptogams are abundant, but very 
partially explored. 
The following additional notes have been drawn up for the 
