402 
Capt. H. W. Eeilden on the Birds observed 
cording, as far as numbers are concerned, with the opinion pub¬ 
lished before the Expedition left England by one of the most 
distinguished members of our Society*; and, except amongst 
those sanguine persons who may still cling to a belief in the ex¬ 
istence of an “ open polar sea/’ I think it is impossible to doubt 
that, both specifically and numerically, bird-life must rapidly 
decrease with every degree of northern latitude after passing 
the eighty-second parallel. If, however, there be an extension 
of land to the northernmost part of our globe, I see no reason 
why a few species of birds should not resort there to breed; 
and those most likely to proceed there are Plectrophanes ni¬ 
valis, Strepsilas interpres, Calidris arenaria, Tringa canutus , 
and Sterna macrura. There would still be sufficient summer, 
if such a term may be used, for the period of incubation; and 
from what I have seen of the transporting powers of the wind 
in drifting seeds over the frozen expanse of the polar sea,. I 
cannot doubt that a scanty flora exists at the pole itself, if 
there be any land there, and that the abundance of insect-life 
which exists as high as the eighty-third degree will be present 
at the ninetieth, sufficient to provide for a few Knots, Sander- 
lings, and Turnstones. The arctic sea at the most northern 
point reached abounds with Amphipoda, such as Anonyx nu - 
gax, which doubtless extend all through the polar sea; and 
these crustaceans supply Sterna macrura with food in those 
parts where the continual presence of ice prevents fish 
coming to the surface; for wherever there is land there must 
be tidal ice-cracks, which allow these minute animals to work 
their way up between the floes. The range of the Brent- 
Goose is probably coincident with the range of Saxifraga op- 
positifolia; and this plant also supplies subsistence to the Knot 
and Turnstone, and probably the Sanderling, before the long 
arctic day has awakened the insect-life. 
Ross's Gull (. Rhodostethia rosea ) not having been met with 
in Smith Sound, either by our expedition or that of the 
f Polaris/ its absence from Spitsbergen, Eranz-Joseph Land, 
and, as far as we know, the northern shores of Siberia, its 
not having been noticed by any of our arctic or Franklin- 
* Newton, ‘ Arctic Manual/ p. 114: London, 1875. 
