TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 651 



Geologically, the island is composed of hard graywackes and schists, probably 

 of the Hekla Hook series; at the west end of Glen Mackenzie very coarse con- 

 glomerates forming the North and South Sutors cccur with sandstone slabs re- 

 sembling Caithness flags further to the west along the shore. On the east coast, 

 fringing the low land which surrounds almost the whole island for a mile or more 

 inland, are to be found tertiary beds containing plant remains. These occur to 

 the south of Point Carmichael and at Ferrier Haven. 



The flora is similar to that of the mainland of Spitsbergen. 



The fauna is also similar to the mainland, but Dr. Bruce added a new record 

 not only for the Foreland, but for European Arctic regions, in finding the adult 

 and fledglings of the sanderling there. The capture of the sabine gull and the 

 recording of great northern diver and razor-bill are also noteworthy. Much yet 

 remains to be worked up regarding the micro-fauna. 



3. Plans for a Second Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 19] 1. 

 By William S. Bruce, LL.D., F.R.S.E. 



It is hoped that this expedition will leave Scotland about May 1, 1911, and 

 reach Buenos Aires about June 20. From Buenos Aires a departure will be 

 made about July 1, and a zig-zag course steered between 40° and 50° for the 

 purpose of broadly completing the bathymetrical survey of the South Atlantic 

 Ocean begun by the Scotia in 1902-04. Cape Town should be reached on 

 September 1. At Cape Town the ship will coal and refit, and a course will 

 be steered for the Sandwich Group, where it is hoped funds will allow another 

 vessel to meet her, carrying equipment, coal, and fresh food from Buenos Aires. 

 Further soundings will be made between Cape Town and Sandwich Group, 

 especially to try and prove the hypothetical ' Bise ' joining the Sandwich 

 Group and Bouvet Island, as well as the ' Scotia Rise,' discovered by the 

 Scottish Expedition, 1904. From the Sandwich Group the expedition will steer 

 for Coats Land or some place with suitable anchorage and landing in the 

 vicinity of Coats Land. A party of ten or twelve persons will be landed here 

 and a house erected. As there appeared to be no suitable landing-place along 

 the 150 miles of Coats Land discovered by the Scottish Expedition in 1904, 

 the expedition may have to go a little further west or east, possibly as far east 

 as Cape Ann, Enderby Land. The ship will thereafter proceed to Melbourne 

 by a route in as high a latitude as possible, taking soundings and carrying on 

 deep-sea research, having as a special objective the determination of former 

 continental connections. The ship will winter at Melbourne, carrying out such 

 work as funds will allow and time will permit by means of one or more short 

 cruises to the south. Co-operation with Australian and New Zealand Govern- 

 ments and scientific societies in any special work which they would wish to 

 have accomplished in these seas would be welcomed. In the spring the ship 

 will push southward to McMurdo Strait, Victoria Land, in order to send a sledge 

 party southward with supplies for another party, which, under my leadership, 

 will be crossing over the Antarctic Continent by way of the South Pole from 

 Coats Land. The meeting of the trans-continental party and the relief party 

 will likely be in the vicinity of the Beardmore Glacier. The combined parties 

 will then return to the ship and sail for New Zealand. The Scottish Expedition 

 will not make any special investigations in the region of McMurdo Strait, because 

 since the publication of these plans in April 1908 and April 1909 Captain Scott 

 has chosen this region as his special sphere of work. From New Zealand the 

 ship will proceed across the Pacific Ocean to Magellan Straits or the Falklands, 

 and carry on such oceanographical research as is possible in as high a southern 

 latitude as the winter season will permit. In the spring the expedition will 

 proceed southward in the Weddell Sea to relieve the wintering party, which will 

 now have spent two years there. This party will devote special attention to 

 the survey of the coastline of Antarctica both to the east and west of the 

 station. Complete meteorological, magnetic, and other physical and biological 

 outfit will be provided, and it is hoped that arrangements will be made to co- 

 operate with Meteorological Stations at Scotia Bay, South Georgia, Cape Pem- 

 broke, and elsewhere. The total cost of the expedition will be about 50,000?. 



