Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society. 425 



Dr. J. W. Gregory, F.E.S. (Nature, April 25th, 1901), following 

 IBernacchi's "Topography of South Victoria Laud " (Eoy. Geog. Soc, 

 March 18th, 1901), suggested various problems for the " Discovery " 

 to work out. 



(a) Whether the Antarctic lands to the south of Australia, 

 Victoria Land, Wilkes' Land, Adelie Land, Geikie Land, Newnes 

 Land, Termination Land, are all part of one great continent, or 

 members of an Antarctic Archipelago. 



The earlier voyagers all maintained the existence of an Antarctic 

 Continent, and Suess' theory supports this view. 



Eitter suggests that the volcanic chain forming the eastern face 

 of Victoria Land is the continuation of the New Zealand volcanic 

 line, and that the coast of Wilkes' Land is a southern extension of 

 the Australian plateau. This plateau is bounded to the north and 

 east by the great fold passing through New Guinea, New Caledonia, 

 and New Zealand. 



The rocks dredged by the " Challenger " and the " Valdivia " 

 are like those of Southern Australia ; and those of Victoria Land, 

 examined by Teall, are like the rocks of New Zealand. Geologically, 

 then, the Antarctic is an Archasan land with rocks similar to those of 

 Australia ; and its eastern side is volcanic. 



Indirect evidence favours a land connection with a chain of peaks 

 sti'etching from Victoria Land and the vicinity of Mounts Erebus 

 and Terror to Graham's Land. 



If this great line can be proved, the volcanic chain encircling the 

 Pacific Ocean will be rendered complete, joining up the Antarctic 

 land with New Zealand and Australia on the one hand, and 

 Graham's Land to South America on the other. We do not expect 

 a land fauna on the Antarctic, but Secondary and Tertiary fossils 

 may be discovered, and furnish still further evidence of an old land 

 connection. 



Correspondence in North and South Conditions, or ' Bi- 

 POLARiTY,' AND BiPOLAR Fatjnas. — There is an interesting question, 

 too, in reference to the littoral and shallow- water fauna and flora of 

 the Antarctic lands as compared with the Arctic. 



The Sirenia are represented in the south by Halicore austraUs, off 

 the coast of Queensland, Australia, 30° only south of the equator, 

 whilst BJiytina gigas ( =z B. Stelleri) occurs in peat-deposits on 

 Behring Island, and was living in numbers around its shores as 

 lately as 1750, 60° north of the equator. Probably in earlier times 

 Halicore, or its allies, may have extended southwards to the shores 

 and islands of the Antarctic lands. ^ 



Of the Cetacea, the genus Balcena is represented in the Arctic 

 seas by B. mysticetns, B. Biscayensis occurring in the North Atlantic 

 and B. Japonica in the North Pacific, the South Atlantic having 

 Balcena australis, and the South Pacific B. antipodarum and 

 B. Novce-Zealandice. 



1 According to Eoss and many other explorers, great banks of Zaminaria and 

 other seaweeds, similar to those around Behring Island, on which the Rhytina fed, 

 abound in the South Polar seas. 



