272 THE ANTARCTIC. 



species of ducks, Eaton's duck (querqtiedula Eatoni), and 

 a sea-gull identical with, or nearly related to the northern 

 Great Skua [stercorarius catarr hades) is met with in 

 still higher latitudes. 



Reptiles and amphibious animals have not been seen 

 in the Antarctic regions, and considering the conditions 

 of life needful for their existence they may safely be 

 regarded as excluded from them. Fishes, however, on 

 which mammals and birds feed, exist in rich abundance, 

 but little progress has as yet been made in their identifica- 

 tion and classification ; the only zoological observations, 

 of any extent, that have been recorded are those of the 

 short trip far to the south made by the Challenger, and 

 even there attention was mainly directed to the deep- 

 sea fauna. In general it may be observed that the 

 animal life in the true Antarctic waters shows near 

 kinship to, if not identity with, that of the Arctic regions. 



Of invertebrate animals the information supplied us, 

 especially by the investigations of the Challenger, shows 

 the existence of a great number of species and individuals. 

 It would lead us too far to enter into details, but a few 

 facts may be enumerated. Of the species of tunicata 

 large pyrosomidse, and ascidise a foot long have not un- 

 frequently been seen floating on the surface of the sea. 

 Of molluscs we must especially mention those found by 

 Ross called paddling snails, of the species limacino 

 and clio, which form a chief article of food for the 

 whales, exactly as in the Arctic regions ; also a small 

 pretty cephalopod, the argonatita antarctica, which fre- 

 quents the neighbourhood of icebergs, besides great 

 numbers of shells and snails. Brachiopods and worms, 

 and especially crab-like animals, serve as articles of food 

 for higher organisations, showing the high importance 

 to be attached to the crabs of low organisation which 

 often appear in huge multitudes. Among the Ccelenterata 

 large jelly-fish are seen on the surface, and the discovery 



