302 Mr Petermann's Notes on the Distribution of 



of these animals that were seen there; while not one, so far 

 as I know, was ever seen during the whole year in any of 

 the frequent excursions made from the ships in Assistance 

 Bay." Again : " It will be rather peculiar if we find that 

 these animals take towards the N. side of Cornwallis Island 

 as the winter approaches, that they may share the modifying 

 effect which the open water in Queen's Channel must have upon 

 the atmosphere in its vicinity ; and it will appear at variance 

 with the generally received opinion that these animals mi- 

 grate southward on the approach of winter." It would have 

 been interesting if a series of observations of the tempera- 

 ture in the regions referred to by Dr Sutherland could^ have 

 been made, so as to draw a comparison in that respect with 

 Assistance Bav. 



In Wolstenholine Sound, at the head of Baffin Bay, though 

 having a July temperature of 40° 5', a comparatively small 

 number of animals were observed by the expedition of the 

 11 North Star." This is a point, however, from which animals 

 can easily migrate to the S. or N. ; and if the temperature 

 be higher farther N. during the summer, as is highly pro- 

 bable, they unquestionably would extend their migration in 

 that direction. Dr Sutherland has an interesting remark 

 bearing on the point : — 



" The Esquimaux lad whom Captain Ommanney took on 

 board H.M.S. ' Assistance,' at Cape York, says that the 

 Esquimaux who inhabit the coast in the vicinity of Whale 

 Sound, at the top of Baffin Bay, clothe themselves with the 

 skin of the musk-ox (umingmak). This statement, if 

 true, would lead one to the idea that the musk-ox inhabits 

 still more northern regions than Melville Island — regions 

 whence they cannot return into a more southern latitude 

 with the close of the season, owing to the open water in 

 the top of Baffin Bay throughout the whole winter. And 

 moreover, it may lead to the inference that such regions as 

 can maintain the musk-ox throughout the year in so high a 

 latitude as 77° and upwards, must present features with re- 

 spect to temperature which are peculiar only to regions in 

 the vicinity of an extensive sea. 1 ' 



On the Asiatic half of the Arctic regions the July tem- 

 perature stands as follows : — 



