VIII INTRODUCTION. 



often arise with a suddenness that makes it very dangerous to go about 



« 

 in small boats. 



These climatic conditions have their natural effect upon the flora and 

 fauna of the island; there being neither tree nor shrub — no plant, indeed, 

 taller than the Kerguelen cabbage, while the very few species of phse- 

 nogamous plants which do survive are such only as can thrive exposed 

 to sudden and violent alternations of dryness and moisture and to fierce 

 gales of wind. As a natural consequence of these facts, there are no 

 land-birds or mammals, strictly speaking, indigenous to Kerguelen's 

 Island, and but a single shore-bird {Chionis minor). 



The island is of considerable size, about 90 miles long by 50 in width, 

 and is composed, as to its southern part at 'least, wholly of volcanic 

 rock, showing no signs of stratification. The northern portion contains 

 stratified rocks, deposits of coal of little value, and very ancient remains 

 of silicified wood, indicating the former existence of considerable trees, 

 and the submergence and subsequent upheaval of the land upon which 

 they grew. The whalers say that a large glacier runs across the island, 

 in a generally east and west direction, at about its center. In the in- 

 terior, the land is mountainous; peaks with sharp volcanic outlines alter- 

 nating with table-topped hills. Mount Ross, the highest peak (about 

 5,000 feet), is always snow-covered and quite inaccessible. Near the 

 sea, in December, the snow-line was found on Mount Orozier at about 

 2,000 feet above the sea-le^el. 



No flying insects were observed excepting minute gnats, and a Tineid* 

 moth (which was perhaps imported), nor were the remains of any ever 

 found in the stomach of any bird. Chionis and a teal were the only 

 partial vegetable-feeders observed ; all the other birds feeding exclus- 

 ively on flesh, fish, or marine invertebrates. 



Toward the middle of October, an English party, to observe the transit, 

 established itself about fourteen miles to the southward and westward of 

 the American station, including a naturalist, the Eev. A. E. Eaton, 

 already known to science by his botanical collections in Spitzbergen. 

 Accompanying this party were two men-of-war, which remained by them 

 during their stay. On the other side, at about the same distance to the 

 northwest, was a German party, landed from the N. G. frigate Gazelle, 

 and to which Drs. Nauraaun and Huesker were attached as naturalists. 

 The Gazelle was engaged in a scientific cruise throughout the southern 



* Possibly the same as described by Eev. A. E. Eaton as Emhryonopsis Halticella sp. 

 nov., Entomological Magazine, Aug. 1875. 



