187/.] 



President's Address. 



435 



This tracking of the Miocene flora so far to the northward was one of 

 the principal scientific objects to be accomplished by the Polar Expedition ; 

 and the fact that the character thereof continues to be neither polar 

 nor arctic, but temperate, supports the hypothesis that during the era in 

 question a vegetation analogous to that now prevailing in the temperate 

 latitudes entirely covered the north-polar area of the globe. 



Other branches of Geology have yielded very valuable results in the 

 hands of Mr. Etheridge, who has worked up the very large number of 

 Palaeozoic fossils collected especially by Capt. Feilden. These, with the 

 Carboniferous, Miocene, and Postpliocene fossils, animal and vegetable, 

 and the abundant rock specimens, have thrown more light on the former 

 condition of the cncumpolar regions than perhaps all the collections of 

 previous expeditions. 



Capt. Evans has been so good as to supply me with the results 

 of the magnetical observations made daring the vo^vage, which were in 

 general accordance with those of the American expeditions to Smith's 

 Sound. Nearly continuous hourly observations of the Differential Decli- 

 nation Magnetometer were taken throughout the winter from October to 

 April. With an inclination of nearly 85°, and a horizontal force of 1*13, 

 the westerly declination disturbance occurred usually between 9 a.m. and 

 5 p.m., the easterly between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., the arc ranging through 

 8°. The greatest range (Feb. 19, 1876) reached 5° 48' ; the lowest 

 (July 12, 1876) was scarcely 7'. Compared with the results of previous 

 expeditions, we find that, at Eensselaer Harbour, with horizontal force 

 of 1*14 and inclination nearly 85°, the ranges were respectively 4° 52' and 

 1° 1' ; while at Port Bowen, with horizontal force 0° 46' and inclination 

 88°, they were 11° 56' and 0° 35' respectively. The mean daily range of 

 decimation was 86°-S, and mean decimation 101° 42' W. 



The observers were on the alert to observe any signs of connexion 

 between the auroral displays and declination-disturbances, but to no 

 purpose ; for, as with Parry in Port Bowen, and Ivane in Eensselaer 

 Harbour, no evidence was discoverable. On the other hand, various 

 previous voyagers have registered a marked connexion, as at Port Ken- 

 nedy by Maguire, at Point Barrow by M'Clintock, and in the Spitz- 

 bergen seas by "Weyprecht. Considering that there can be no doubt as 

 to the trustworthiness of all these observers, a decisive solution of the 

 question is greatly to be desired. 



Sir William Thomson and Prof. Everett have examined the few obser- 

 vations made for the amount of atmospheric electricity, with the result of 

 finding that they confirm the observations of former explorers. 



Sir G-eorge INares has obligingly sent me a resume of some of the prin- 

 cipal meteorological results, and their comparison with those taken at 

 Polaris Bay in 1871-72 : for example :< — 



