MR. H. N. MOSELEY OH DOTANP OF MARION ISLAND ETC. 387

CONFERVAUEAC. CLADOPHORA HOSPITA, Mert. Geogr. distr. Cape G. Hope.

XIX. On the Botany of Marion Island, Kerguelen's Land, and Yong Island of the Heard Group. By H. N. MOSELEY, M.A., Naturalist to H.M.S. ' Challenger..' (In a Letter to Dr. HOOKJCB, F.R.S. &c.)

[Read June 4,1874.1

WE only touched at Marion Island before landing at Kerguelen. I had a day there to collect plants, but could not go any great distance from the ship. The plants I found were :-

Ranunculus crassipes. Azorella Xelago. Pringlea antiscmbutica. Festuca Cookii. Cerasfium, sp. Lycopodizum Selago. AccPna af lnk . Lycopodizum clavaturn. Callitriche verna. Hymenophyllum Wilsoni. lllontia fontana. Aspidium mohrioides. Bulliardn moschata. Lomaria alpha.

Polypodiwm auatrale.

The vegetation is thus closely similar to that of Kerguelen's Land, but less abundant in species, as might be expected, from the great difference in area.

Other planh may occur ; for I examined but a very small part of the island, and the ferns at least were somewhat scarce and difficult to find, except f imaria alpha. I could find only the one grass, though I searched carefully for others. I found the Azorella tuft to have an internal temperature higher than that of the air, in one case as much as 5' F. The peculiar form of the tufts is perhaps connected with the storing of heat. No landing, unfortunately, was effected at Prince Edward's Island, nor at the Crozets. At Kerguelen I found only two plants new to the flora-a Cerastium and an Uncinia. The Cerastium was abundant about the shore, towards the south and middle of the leeward side of the island ; the Uncinia I found on only one re- stricted area on the slopes of Mount Bromley in Swain's Bay. The plant is very like u. Xingii figured by you in ' Flora Antarc- tica.'

388 ME. H. N. MOBELEY ON BOTANY OF YAEION TSLAND ETC.

I made a pretty large collection of the plants of the island, including Pringlea and Zyallia in all stages of flower and h i t . Some specimens of these latter I preserved in spirits. I also filled three Wardian cases with Kerguelen plants, and especially Pringlea. I have about two dozen cabbage-plants living on board now in good condition, also Lyallia, Rzorella, Leptinella, G a l i m , Bulliarda and some sickly Acma. One case will probably be sent home at once by this mail. The only difficulty in keeping them was to prevent their dying from damp. I was obliged to keep the cases open and have them wiped inside every day. W e had very little time at Christmas Harbour ; and I was engaged during that time in collecting plants, so had only time for a very short visit to the fossil-wood and coal .beds. I could find no fossil leaves or any thing recognizable in form, except something a little like aUhm-0. Prof. Thomson had boses of coal and wood preserved. W e unfortunately did not visit Greenland Harbour at all.

At Yong Island I had a chance of landing for about two hours with Captain Nares and Buchanan. We were the only ones lucky enough to get on shore. Next day the wind shifted and it snowed, and we had to go. Numerous glaciers come right down on to the shore. vegetation is most scanty, most of the land surface not covered with ice being bare. I found only five flowering plants, and one or two mosses and a liverwort. The plants were :-Pringlea, Azorella, Colobanthwr, Callitriche and Pestwa, all apparently of the same species as at Kerguelen. I believe there are no others in the island. The Pringlea is very much dwarfed. There is no Zacrocystie about Yong Island, only Diervilla; but there are beds of other seaweeds cast up on the shore. W e looked for Wilkes’s Termination Land, but found it mythical. We found the sea-bottom down south made up of diatoms, as you did, and the surface covered with diatoms, the ice stained with them. TWO boxes will be forwarded to you this mail, a list of the contents of which I enclose. Besides these, there will reach you a cigar-box full of Pringba-seed. I found abun- dance of ripe seed to the south of Kerguelen, near Mutton Cove in Royal Bound.