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Iceland, but it soon leaves these regions and must move further 
to the north j but where it goes to is unknown, and of its 
nidification we know nothing. It comes to Britain in large 
numbers — old and young birds — in the autumn, but again soon 
takes its flight to the far South until the following spring. 
Where does it go during the summer ? To regions less sterile 
than Greenland and Iceland — but where in the North are those 
regions ? Is this expedition to discover them surrounding 
the shores of that open Sea, in the warmer regions which are 
believed by some to surround the Pole, but which other sceptical 
souls have long ceased to place any faith in ? Perhaps not. Still 
there is no use denying that “ there is a great deal to be said ” 
in favour of “ the open Polar Sea.” 
Dr. Hooker’s classical paper on the Arctic Flora* has so fully 
explained the peculiar condition of the vegetation of Greenland 
that, if even my space permitted, any explanation of the Phyto- 
geography of that country is unnecessary. 
The vegetation — meagre as in all probability it must be — of 
the far North must be extremely interesting. Already Smith’s 
Sound has yielded additions to the Greenland Phanerogamous 
plants. There are many puzzling varieties of Arctic plants, 
epilobiums, drabas, dryas, &c., which it would be well to 
investigate; and the whole flora should be studied, not from the 
mere dried-hay point of view, but with reference to its origin 
and nature, as so lucidly and philosophically explained in the 
treatise of the President of the Eoyal Society just mentioned. 
The cryptogams will yield many novelties; lichens, mosses, 
algae, &c., will all be found in abundance. We know little of 
the Arctic algae. Disco Bay yielded to the present writer 
almost as many species as had been previously known from the 
whole Arctic regions. Botany, however, will not be the branch 
of natural history which will be most advanced by this expedi- 
tion. Geology or zoology will be the greatest winners. 
I have only taken up these three sciences as specimens of 
what may be done. Even then I have only touched upon one 
or two points. Had I more space at my disposal, I could have 
pointed out a score of other questions still requiring solution, 
and which this expedition can assist in solving, if not solve 
altogether. 
The other branches of science I have purposely avoided, as 
being foreign to my studies, and my opinion on them can there- 
fore be of little value. Mr. Markham has given an outline of 
what additions to our knowledge in these departments we may 
look for from researches in these fields of knowledge, and to his 
* “ Trans. Linnean Soc.” vol. xxiii. p. 251; 11 Proc. Boy. Geog. Soc.” 
1871, &c. 
