61 



huge flukes in the air to descend head first, as it were, to fathom 



more natural cause, their carcasses in drifting towards the shore 

 are overtaken by these billows and thrown thus far upon the land, 

 here they are left by the retiring wave, and in a few hours their 

 bones become perfectly denuded by the numberless sea-birds that 

 feed upon the flesh. It is after these waves have subsided that 

 the animal here described, together with several other equally 

 interesting Crustacea may be obtained in considerable numbers. 



The geological features that these islands present in those high- 

 ly favored situations, where the continuous power of the winds has 

 Bwept bare the rocks, correspond in a great measure with their 

 desolate and dreary aspect. They are composed principally of 



glomerate ; the pillars are united in detatched groups, having at 

 their bases sloping banks constructed of materials which are con- 

 stantly accumulating by fragments from above. These groups rise 

 abruptly from the irregularly elevated plains, over whose surface 

 they are scattered here and there, presenting an appearance to the 

 eye not unlike some old castle crumbling into ruin, and when situ- 

 ated upon the sandstone promontories that occasionally jut out 

 into the sea, they tower aloft in solitary grandeur over its foaming 



snow, powerfully contrasting their deep murky hues with its spot- 

 less purity. Ponds of fresh water are now and then found on the 

 plains, but they do not owe their origin to springs, being formed 

 by the melting of the snow. 



The rocky shores of these islands are formed by bold craggy 

 eminences standing out into the sea at different distances from 



tors to keep a cautious watch, after making any part of this coast : 

 the intervals between these crags are composed of narrow strips 

 of plain, constructed of coarsely angulated fragments of every va- 

 riety of size, which at some previous period have fallen from the 

 Burrounding hills. They slope gradually down to the water termi- 

 nating in a fine sandy beach : a few rounded pieces of granite are 

 occasionally to be seen lying about, brought unquestionably by 

 the ice-bergs from their parent hills on some far more southern 

 land, as we saw no rocks of this nature in situ on these islands . 

 In one instance, I obtained a boulder nearly a foot in diameter 



