TOPOGRAPHY OF SOUTH VICTORIA LAND—DISCUSSION. 513 
points of connection in past times, and there is quite sufficient similarity between 
the faunas of the two areas to make it highly probable that at one time, when, 
perhaps, the southern hemisphere contained more land than it does at present, 
and the northern contained less, there was land union between South America 
and Australia. I think that the interest attaching to the glaciers and the ice- 
barrier is also a geological question. Just as one of the most important discoveries 
of the century was made when Nordenskiold penetrated into the interior of Green- 
land, so I think it is very probable that some equally important discoveries 
remain to be made when we know something of the interior of the antarctic 
land. Whether it is a continent or merely an archipelago of large islands, is 
one of the questions that remain to be solved in the antarctic area, and the ex- 
ceedingly novel and interesting views which Mr. Bernacchi has brought before us 
about that enormous mass of ice throw an entirely new light upon the whole 
subject. The ice may be either the edge of a great glacier coming down from the 
land to the south; or it may be, as Mr. Bernacchi has suggested, a mass of glacier 
ice pushed out to sea, or it may be a mass of floating ice filling a sound between 
two large islands. It is very satisfactory to hear that it can be easily explored; 
and if it can be penetrated from 150 to 200 miles, it will at once be shown what 
its real nature is, If it is a glacier, the surface will rise rapidly towards the 
south ; if it is a floating mass pushed off from the land, the surface will not rise 
rapidly, but will probably remain for a considerable distance very nearly at the 
same level. 
Admiral Sir Gzoraz Nares: With regard to Robertson bay, we are told of a 
remarkable double tongue of compact crystallized ice. Can Mr. Bernacchi tell us, 
was that likely to have been a summer river either at the spot or further back, 
and that it has been pushed forward by the glaciers? 
Mr. Bernaccui: No, I do not think so. 
Admiral Sir Leoponp M’Cuintock : May I ask the lecturer if he would kindly 
give us some information of the animal life to be found far south, as it is very 
important to know whether food could be obtained for men or dogs who might 
have to pass the winter there. You mentioned penguins, but I take it they only 
visit the coast in the summer season ? 
Sir Erasmus Ommanney: I should like to ask whether you made any ex- 
ploration along the coast to the westward of Cape North, or did you see beyond 
that anything like the ice-barrier which was observed to the eastward? I pre- 
sume the exploration of the coast was made under sea navigation, wasn’t it ? 
Mr. Bernaccu1: Yes, most of it. 
Sir Erasmus Ommanney: Did you make any use of the dogs? 
Mr. Bernaccui: Oh yes, in Robertson bay only. In reply to a remark of 
Sir Joseph Hooker with regard to the Parry mountains, I may say the snow-cap 
on the mountains is, I think, sufficient to force such a large mass of ice as the great 
ice-barrier towards the sea. We must remember that there are no slopes to the 
west of the mountain ranges in South Victoria Land, that there are only slopes 
to the east, and that there is a large body of snow and ice moving from the west 
tight over the summits of the mountains, so that that would be quite sufficient 
to force a large mass of ice eastwards. Then, in reply to a question put by 
Admiral Sir Leopold M’Clintock, of course I am not very conversant with zoolozy 
or with animal life, but I can say there are no land animals to be found in South 
Victoria Land; but there are plenty of seals along the shore-line, both in summer 
time and winter, and they are always available as food for dogs and human beings, 
and the penguins, which can be procured during four months of the year, are also 
available as food for sledge-parties. And then I think Sir Erasmus Ommaney 
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