Mar. 26, 1874] 



NA TURE 



405 



The instruments used in the above observations were a 

 Wiirdemann transit and Gambey sextants divided to 10". 

 The expedition carried six box chronometers made by 

 Negus, three of which indicated sidereal time, and four 

 pocket chronometers by different English makers. These 

 time-pieces were compared every day at precisely the 

 same time, and the result entered in the chronometer- 

 journal. 



Besides the above-mentioned observations, twenty sets 

 of pendulum experiments were made, which are saved, 

 but the observations for time belonging to them are lost. 

 MAGNETlSiM. — The magnetic observations obtained 

 were more complete than any others ever before made 

 in the Arctic regions. The instruments supplied were : 

 — one unifilar declinometer ; one dip circle, with Lloyd's 

 needles ; one theodolite ; and several prismatic compasses. 

 The observations on variation of declination were 

 registered at Gottingen time, and were continued for five 

 months : readings taken hourly. Besides that, three 

 term days were observed every month, according to the 

 Gottingen regulations, one of these term days correspond- 

 ing with the day accepted by all the magnetic stations. 

 Further, a number of observations were taken either with 

 the theodolite or the prismatic compass. Whenever 

 possible, the dip was observed, and several sets of obser- 

 vations on relative and absolute intensity and of the 

 moment of inertia were obtained. 



OcE.\N Phy.SICS. — Unfortunately there was not much 

 opportunity for taking soundings. About twelve were 

 obtained along the coast of Grinnell Land, which prove 

 that the hundred-fathom line follows the coast at a 

 distance of about 15 miles in Smith's Sound. One of 

 these soundings (90 fathoms) proved highly interesting, 

 containing an organism of lower type than the Batliybiiis 

 discovered by the English dredging expedition. It was 

 named ProtobatJiybiiis i-ohcsonU. 



A number of deep-sea temperatures were taken with 

 corresponding observations on the density of the water. 

 Following the coast of West Greenland the limits of the 

 Gulf .Stream were ascertained. Specimens of water from 

 different depths were preserved in bottles, but were, 

 unfortunately, lost. 



As soon as the vessel was fairly frozen in, a tide-gauge 

 was erected over a square hole cut in the ice-floe, and 

 kept open continually ; the pulley and rope were supported 

 by a tripod of oars. A rope, to which a wooden scale, 

 divided into feet and inches, was fastened, was carried 

 through a block attached to the tripod. One end of the 

 rope was anchored at the bottom by means of two thirty- 

 two pound shot, and a counterpoise was attached to the 

 other end to keep the rope properly stretched. This 

 apparatus was tested by a series of scale readings with 

 corresponding soundings, and proved to work very satis- 

 factorily. The observations comprise eight lunations, 

 the readings being taken hourly, half-hourly, and in some 

 instances every ten minutes, in order to determine the 

 precise moment of the turn of the tide. 



Metkorology.— After having entered winter-quarters 

 meteorological observations, which up to this time had 

 been made three-hourly, were made every hour, Washington 

 time. The register contained observations on the tempe- 

 rature of the air, atmospheric pressure, psychrometrical 

 observation, direction and force of wind, appearance of 

 the sky, state of weather, and both solar and terrestrial 

 radiation. Besides, all extraordinary meteorological phe- 

 nomena were carefully noted. 



For the registration of the temperature of the air 

 mercurial thermometers were used for temperatures 

 down to — 35° F. ; for lower ranges spirit instruments 

 being compared at intervals of 10°. As circumstances 

 would permit, mercurial or aneroid barometers were used. 

 As it was not supposed that psychrometrical observations 

 could be favourably conducted .it vei7 low temperatures, 

 the expedition was not supplied with the suitable instru- 



ments. For that reason two uncoloured spirit thermo- 

 meters were selected and used, the readings of which 

 agreed. As check observations the dew-point was deter- 

 mined by means of Regnault's apparatus. To measure 

 the velocity of the wind, Robins-in's anemometer usually 

 served. The distance travelled by the wind was noted 

 hourly, at the same intervals of time. The velocity of the 

 wind was determined either by the same instrument or by 

 means of Casella's current-meter. These observations 

 on the winds, combined with those on moisture of the 

 atmosphere, will form a valuable contribution to physical 

 geography. 



It was not thought essential to procure photographs of 

 the clouds, as they do not differ in their general character 

 from those in more southerly latitudes. The only re- 

 markable fact to be noticed is that sometimes cirri could 

 be observed at very low altitudes among stratus clouds, 

 which, however, is not surprising if their mode of forma- 

 tion is taken into account. 



Special attention was devoted to the aurora borealis, 

 which occurred frequently, but rarely showed brilliant 

 colours, never bright enough to produce a spectrum. 

 Whenever necessary one observer was stationed at the 

 magnetometer and the other out-doors, the former ob- 

 serving the motions of the magnets, while the other was 

 watching the changes in the phenomenon and taking 

 sketches. Although an electroscope and electroineter 

 were set up, and the electrical condition of the atmosphere 

 frequently tested, in no instance could the least amount 

 of electricity be detected. The amount of precipitation 

 was measured as carefully as the violent gales would per- 

 mit, by means of a rain-gauge supplied with a funnel. In 

 February, as soon as the sun re-appeared, observations 

 on solar radiation were commenced, and continued 

 throughout the entire summer. The instruments em- 

 ployed were a common black-bulb thermometer, and one 

 in vacuo J both exposed on white cotton. 



Zoology and Botany. — The collections of natural 

 history are almost entirely lost. With the exception 

 of two small cases containing animals, minerals, and 

 one package of plants, nothing could be resetted. 

 The character of the fauna is North American, as 

 indicated by the occurrence of the lemming and the 

 musk ox. Nine species of maminals were found, four 

 of which are seals. The birds are represented by 

 twenty-one species. The number of species of insects is 

 about fifteen, viz. : one beetle, four biJtterflies, six diptera, 

 one bumble-bee, and several ichneumons, parasites in 

 caterpillars. Further, two species of spiders and several 

 mites were found. The animals of lower grade are not 

 ready yet for examination. 



The flora is richer than could be expected, as not less 

 than seventeen phanerogamic plants were collected, 

 besides three mosses, three lichens, and five fresh-water 

 algse. 



Geology. — Although the formation of the Upper Silurian 

 limestone, which seems to constitute the whole west coast 

 north of Humboldt Glacier, is very uniform, some highly 

 interesting and important observations have been made. 

 It was found that the land is rising, as indicated, for in- 

 stance, by the occurrence of marine animals in a fresh- 

 water lake more than 30 feet above the sca-level and far 

 out of reach of the spring-tides. Wherever the locality 

 was favourable the land is covered by drift, sometimes 

 containing very characteristic lithological specimens, the 

 identification of which with rocks in South Greenland 

 was a very easily accomplished task. For instance, 

 garnets of unusually large size were found in latitude 

 Si^ 30', having marked mineralogical characteristics by 

 which the identity with some garnets from Fiskernaes was 

 established. Drawing a conclusion from such observa- 

 tions it became evident that the main line of the drift, 

 indicating the direction of its motion, runs from south 

 to north. 



