38 J. H. MAIDEN. 



science. The "Aurora" then proceeded west along the 

 land sighted by the American and French Explorers in 

 1840, but not visited since. The ice conditions were almost 

 as unfavourable as those experienced further south by the 

 "Terra Nova" at the same time, and interesting results 

 should accrue when the two ice charts can be compared. 



Captain Davis met with glacier tongues of unexampled 

 extent and with great fragments from the Barrier thirty 

 miles long. Ultimately, a sledge party under Mr. Wild, was 

 landed in the neighbourhood of Termination Land and of 

 the Gaussberg, where the Germans wintered in 1902. Here 

 no bare land was visible, but very possibly some may be 

 reached by Wild's sledging parties in the spring. 



It is difficult to overestimate the value to meteorology 

 of these well equipped stations working simultaneously in 

 Antarctic areas. Some 600 miles from Tasmania is the 

 Macquarie Island Station ; again 600 miles south is the 

 Adelie Land Station ; yet another 700 miles south is Scott's 

 main base, while twice that distance to the west lies the 

 station on Termination Land. 



I express my grateful thanks to Mr. T. Griffith Taylor, 

 Senior-geologist of Scott's Expedition, who has just 

 returned, for these interesting notes on the work of the 

 five expeditions. 



3. The Prickhj Pear, — I made brief allusion to this pest 

 at p. 57 of my 1897 address, and since then this weed plague 

 has advanced by leaps and bounds. 



Although numerous species of Opuntia are found in 

 Australian gardens, public and private, I only know, for 

 certain, that the following species have escaped from 

 cultivation and may be said to be really acclimatised in 

 Australia. 



