•20K 
and of Silene acaulis, rarely Cerastium alpinum^ or Papaver 
nudicaide. Thirteen specimens of phanerogamic plants -were 
observed by me in the collection brought home by Leigh-Smith, 
but as these have been submitted to the Kew authorities, and the 
names will probably form a part of the paper read on the 
17th prox. at the Eoyal Geogi’aphical Society, I will not anticipate; 
but simply remark, that I was much struck with the development 
of the plants themselves, and that specimens of Cochlear ia 
officinalis were fer more robust than those I have gathered in 
Grinnell Land. I am, therefore, of opinion that the labours of a 
botanist would be repaid by an examination of Franz-Josef Land 
in July and August, and that thirteen species will by no means 
exhaust its phanerogamic flora. 
The Lichen growth is said to be abundant ; and I lay on the 
table a small specimen of rock from Snow-bird Island, the species 
on which some gentleman here present may perhaps be able to 
name. 
Payer mentions the extraordinary abundance of Polar Bears in 
the vicinity of their winter quarters : over sixty were obtained by 
the crew of the ‘ Tegetthotf,’ in the neighbourliood of their ship. 
The presence of these animals is proof positive that somewhere 
in the neighbourhood there must have been during winter water 
sulflcient to allow Seals to exist, for the Bears of Franz-Josef Land 
cannot live on snow. Tracks of Foxes were seen, and that of a 
single Hare, by the Austrians, but no Eeindeer or Musk-oxen. 
These latter animals I do not imagine will be found in any portion 
of Franz-J osef Land. In addition to these mammalia, Mr. Leigh- 
Smith informs us that Walrus are very abundant ; sixteen were 
killed in one day by the crew of the ‘Eira.’ Seals also were 
observed, and three Eight-whales {Mysticeii) in a bay not far from 
the most north-westernly point gained by the yacht. In all proba- 
bility the Whales and Walrus that have adopted Franz-Josef Land 
as their summer home are likely to remain for long comparatively 
unmolested, owing to the difliculties of approach to its shores. 
Still, Mr. Leigh-Smith told me that the Eorwegian AValrus 
hunters, Avhen they heard of his discoveries, talked of pushing on 
for Franz-Josef Land next summer. The Spitzbergen AValrus- 
hunting is now becoming very uncertain from the paucity and 
wariness of the animals. 
