THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 
71 
The strictly scientific work of the expedition has not been 
neglected, for, although the scientific staff was but small, most 
of the officers had been trained as scientific observers, and they 
all contributed to the utmost of their power towards enriching 
the scientific collections. Dr. Coppinger devoted his attention 
to geology; Captain Feilden, Mr. Chichester Hart, and the 
Eev. Mr. Pullen studied the natural history of the regions 
visited ; Lieut. Aldrich and Dr. B. Ninnie had charge of the 
meteorological observations; Captain Markham and Lieuts. 
Archer, Griffard, and Fulford made magnetic observations; 
Lieuts. Parr, Conybeare, and May observed with the spectro- 
scope ; Lieut. Aldrich with the polariscope ; Dr. Moss worked 
with the microscope ; Dr. Colan was engaged in ozone testing 
and other delicate researches ; Lieuts. Beaumont and Pawson 
made pendulum observations : and Lieuts. Parr and May had 
charge of the transit instrument. This enumeration of scientific 
work performed promises a rich harvest of results whenever the 
numerous observations of these officers shall have been properly 
worked out. As respects the geological features of the countries 
explored it was found that Silurian limestones, abounding in 
fossils, are the most characteristic formation along Smith Sound. 
Miocene beds, including a thick seam of coal, were found as far 
north as 81° 44' N. The greatest cold observed at the Alert's 
winter-quarters was —73*7° F. ; the minimum temperature for 
twenty-four hours was —70-31° F. ; and for thirteen consecutive 
days the thermometer did not rise above —58*9° F. These tem- 
peratures appear to be far more severe than those observed by 
Dr. Bessels in Polaris Bay, where the minimum in January, 
1871, only amounted to — 58° F. At Wolstenholme Sound, near 
the southern entrance of Smith Sound, in lat. 76° 30' JST., a 
minimum of —69-5° F. has been registered, whilst at Yakutsk 
the thermometer has actually been known to fall to — 76° F. 
Westerly and north-westerly winds predominated apparently 
throughout the year. In autumn there was a heavy fall of 
snow, but only about six to eight inches fell in the course of 
winter, and the hill-tops were uncovered by the winds, and 
remained so until May and the early part of June, when there 
was another heavy fall. Auroras were observed frequently, but 
none of the flashes were brilliant, and no connexion between 
them and magnetic or electric disturbances has been established. 
Animal life was more abundant and vegetation more luxuriant 
in the winter-quarters of the Discovery than in those of the 
Alert. Musk-oxen, wolves, polar hares, Arctic foxes, and lemmings 
were found to extend as far as the polar basin. A few ducks, 
geese, and ptarmigans were shot, but the birds, we are told, do 
not migrate towards the north or north-west, and it is con- 
cluded from this that the ice-bound sea is of considerable 
idth in these directions. 
