Fuly 17, 1873] 
NATURE 
219 
burden, built and fitted to contend with the ice, and the | species of butterflies, specimens of which were collécteg ; 
same ship by which the nineteen persons were rescued. 
The following, in the words of the Report are a brief | 
summary of some of the scientific results of the ill- 
managed expedition :— 
While the records of the astronomical, meteorolo- 
gical, magnetic, tidal, and other physical depart- 
ments of the exploration appear to have been ex: | 
tremely full, and the observations in each appear to 
have been conducted according to approved methods, | 
shown to | 
the col'ections of natural history are 
have been not less extensive, the store-rooms of the 
Polaris being filled with skins and skeletons of musk- 
oxen, bears, and other mammals; different species of 
birds and their eggs: numerous marine invertebrata ; 
plants, both recent and fossil, minerals, &c. 
driftwood picked up on or near the shores of Newman’s 
and Polaris Bays, among which Mr. Meyer thought he 
recognised distinctly the walnut, the ash, and the pine. 
Among the numerous facts that appear to be shown by 
the testimony elicited on the examination, we may men- | 
tion as one of much interest that the dip of the needle | 
amounted to 45°, and its deviation to 96°, being less than 
at Port Foulke and Rensselaer Harbour, as given by Dr. 
Kane and Dr. Hays. Auroras were frequent, but by no 
means brilliant, generally quite light, and consisting some- 
times of one arch and sometimes of several. Streamers 
werequite rare. Shooting-stars were so constantly seen that, 
although no special shower was observed, it was scarcely 
possible ever to look at the star-lit sky without noticing 
them in one direction or another. The rise and fall of 
the tides were carefully observed, the average being about | 
five and a half feet. The greatest depth of water noticed 
was about 1oo fathoms. The existence of a constant cur- 
rent southward was noted by the expedition, its rapidity 
varying with the season and locality. The winter tempe- 
rature was found to be much milder than was expected, 
the minimum being 58° in January, although March 
proved to be the coldest month. 
The prevailing winds were from the north-east, although 
there were occasionally violent tempests from the seuth- 
west. Light winds were noticed, however, from all points 
ofthe compass. Rain was occasionally observed, only on 
the land, however, the precipitation presenting itself over 
the ice in the form of snow. During the summer the 
entire extent of both low lands and elevations are bare of 
both snow and ice, excepting patches here and there in 
the shape of the rocks. The soil, during this period, was 
covered with a more or less dense vegetation of moss, 
with which several arctic plants were interspersed, some 
of them of considerable beauty, but entirely without 
scent, and many small willows scarcely reaching the 
dignity of shrubs. The rocks noticed were of a schistose 
or slaty nature, and in some instances contained fossil 
plants, specimens of which were collected. Distinct 
evidence of former glaciers were seen in localities now 
bare of ice, these indications consisting in the occurrence 
of terminal ard lateral moraines. 
Animal life was found to abound, musk-oxen being 
shot at intervals throughout the winter. 
Wolves, also bears, foxes, lemmings, and other mam- 
mals, were repeatedly observed. Geese, ducks,and other 
water-fowls, including plover and other wading-birds, 
abounded during the summer, although the species of 
land-birds were comparatively few, including, however, 
as might have been expected, large nuthbers of ptarmigan 
or snow-partridge. No fish were seen, although the net 
and line were frequently called into play in the attempt 
to obtain them. The waters, however, were found filled 
to an extraordinary degree with marine invertebrata, in- 
cluding jelly-fish and shrimps. Seals are very abundant. 
Numerous insects were observed, also, especially several 
Not the | 
least interesting of these collections are specimens of | 
also, flies and bees and insects of like character. 
The geographical results of the expedition, of which 
the accempanying map will give a good idea, so far as 
they can now be ascertained from the testimony of Messrs. 
CAPE UNION 
CAPE CONSTITUTION 
CAPE “G BACK 
CAPE: JEFFERSON 
CARE. VON’ BUCH 
CAPE MCCLINTOCK 
CAPE. N SHAW 
CAPE... JACKSON 
TAPE, BARROW \~A) 
MAURY BAY 
CAPE WILKES 
CAPE FRAZER 
POINT JAY 
Diagram of the Exploratiens of the Po/aris. (Drawn by F. Meyer, 
Signal Service, U.S.A.) 
Tyson, Meyer, and their comrades, may be summed up 
briefly as follows :— 
The open polar sea laid down by Kane and Hayes is 
found to be in reality a sound of considerable extent, 
