AN IMPORTANT EXPEDITION.

SCIENCE AT THE ISLANDS. WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE. (By DR. L. COCKAYNE.) Basing out of that vast expanse of stormy ocean which surrounds the iceclad Antarctic continent are several small groups of islands, tiny specks indeed upon the map. The principal of these—the Falklands, South Georgia, the Crozets, Kerguelan Land, and the Southern Islands of New Zealand —though at most mere names to the majority; are of surpassing interest to the scientific, presenting as they do many problems for elucidation, full of fascination but of extreme difficulty. Of greater extent, but ■having many biological features in common with the above, are Tierra del Fuego and South America, west of the Andes as far north as and including the Chronos Archipelago.

Now, although in the Northern Hemisphere a fairly abundant vegetation of flowering plants exists beyond the !Arctic Circle, the Antarctic is practically •srithoiLt plant-life except seaweeds and a few mosses and lichens, the above-men-tioned islands, though lying for the most part tie same distance from the Equator as Great Britain, marking, with a few trifling exceptions, the southern limit of ■the higher plants. Still more remarkable is it that, though separated from one "another by thousands of miles of ocean, they have no few species in common. The earthworms of our Southern Islands are closely related to "those of Kerguelan land and Fuegia; the wet coastal rocks bf Antipodes and Marion Islands are equally adorned with .the succulent, reddish masses of crassula moschata, and the tender green feathery-leaved cotula plumosa equally delights the eye both on the Crozets and the Aucklands, while the huge cushions of that remarkable plant of the, carrot family, azorella selago, defy the constant Antarctic gales of both Kerguelan Land and the Maequaries. Until quite recently it has been the habit to speak of the fauna and flora of the above islands as Antarctic, but this quite evident misnomer has recently been changed to subantarctie, since their biological conditions have noithing analogous with those of the Arctic, and also are very different to what are found at similar latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. So far as the New. Zealand subantarctie region is concerned, there are six groups of islands, oi which the Aucklands are by far the largest. The following We their names, distances, and direction from the South Cape of Stewart Island:

The Snares, 60 miles S.W.; the Aucklands, 190 miles N. by W.; the Campbells, 330 miles S. by E.: the Antipodes, 490 miles E.S.E.; the Bounty Islands, 490 miles E., and the Maequaries, 570 miles S.W. by S. These latter have an anomalous position, as they belong politically to Tasmania, but biologically to !New Zealand.

It was trade and not science which first made these remote portions of out Dominion famous. Where the waves break over the jagged rocks was a countless host of fur seals, now, alas! all but extinct. For years small sailing craft, manned frequently by Stewart Island Maoris, visited their shores, riding secure in the fine harbours of Auckland or Campbell Island, or landing parties on the shining granite rocks of the Bounties or the tussock-clad Antipodes. The havoc wrought amongst the seals was almost incredible; for instance, the story goes that one aksp alone landed 100,000 skins at Antipodes. A quite remarkable incident in the history of the Aucklands was the Enderby Settlement, a grant of the islands being made to Messrs. Enderby, who established what was known as the Southern Whale Fishery Company. For some years, ISSO--1852, a population of 300 Europeans and Maoris lived at the north end of the mam Island, and 'on Enderby Island, braving the inhospitable climate, but, as the venture was a financial failure, the settlement, from which great things were expected, was abandoned.

With the decline of whaling and sealing, the non-scientific interest in the islands would have ceased, had it not been for the fact that their iron coasts lay right in the track of sailing vessels by the Cape Horn route to Europe. Consequently, as might well be expected, many shipwrecks Lave taken place, the barren shores an-| fantastic forests being silent witnesses of frightful sufferings and no little splendid heroism. One example alone can be here briefly touched on. The Grafton, a small sailing vessel of seventy-five tons, was wrecked in the land-locked Carnley Harbour. Officers and crew, five in all, landed safely and lived at the south end of Auckland island for a year and a half. Finally, however, seeing no hope of escape from a most miserable life, the ship's dinghey was mended, with what makeshift tools they possessed, and in this most crazy craft Musgrave, the captain, Eaynal, the , mate, and one of the crew started out on what must have looked the most hopeless of forlorn hopes to brave the tempestuous two hundred miles of heaving waters separating them from Stewart Island, which place, marvellous to relate, they gained in safety. This most daring deed roused the enthusiasm of Invereargill, whose people equipped the Flying Scud and rescued the tvfi> sailors left behind.

The case of Musgrave and his crew aroused the public from its apathy, so ihat first the Victorian Government steamer visited the islands in 1565, while three years later the brig Amherst examined all our southern islands for castaways. Later on, the New Zealand Government erected huts and boatsheds, providing abundance of food, clothing and bedding in the former and a boat in each of the latter. Each year, too, one or more trips are made by the Hinemoa, the Tutanekai. or a man-of-war to the islands, and more than once the firstnamed vessel has returned with rescued mariners. Much more could easily be written as to the human element in these far-away islands. Especially is the voyage of Bellinghausen, first brought to the knowledge of New Zealanders by the Hon. R.M'Nab,full of interest, but space forbids, since we must pass on to the scientific side, that which concerns New Zealand most at the present time. First and foremost amongst those who have advanced sub-Antarctic science stands Sir Joseph Hooker, the most honX cured and the greatest amongst British X botanists. The early summer of 1840 W saw him, a young man, filled with delight m in the meadows and forests of the Auck- ■; lands and Campbells, where almost every ■| plant was unknown to science, and. H| whose forms were very different to those HI of Europe. And now at the great age ■;of ninety he has learnt that the sparsely ■populated, land lie visited in his youth:

his spurs a fully-equipped band of scientific men, representing many and varied branches of science. The immediate outcome of Hooker's visit was the magnificent "Flora Antarctica," published in 1847, which will ever be indispensable to the investigation of sub-Antarctic problems.

The year previous to Hooker's visit the French, under Admiral D'Urville, and the Americans, under Commodore Wilkes, had partially explored the Aucklands. Both expeditions published much of interest, the '-"Voyage au Pol Sud," with its fine botanical plates, being second only to the work of Hooker. At a muck later date, 1874, Caihpell Island vr.s sought by a French "Transit of Venus" expedition, which made a lengthy stay, and much interesting information was ;j;iblished as to the fauna and geology {?/ M. Filhol, naturalist to the expedition. The periodical visits of the Now Zealand Government steamers have been taken advantage of by various local scientists, Sir James Hector, Captain F. W. Hutton, Mr. J. Buchanan, Mr. Justice Chapman, Professor W. B. Benham, Mr. E. Waite, myself and others having visited the islands and added mora or less to the knowledge of their natural history. Mr. T. Kirk's work demands special mention, since he was the first to investigate the botany of the Snares and Antipodes Islands. Mr. J. H. Scott and Mr. A. Hamilton, independently of one another, visited Macquarie Island and supplied almost all that is known as to the biology of that interesting spot.

Since so many have examined the New Zealand sub-Antarctic region it might seem at first glance there would remain little to do. Did natural history consist only in collecting and classifying the species, this might in some measure be true. But even from this standpoint it must be remembered that Hooker and Ms party worked only at the northern end of the Aucklands, while most of the other scientists have only had a very short time at their disposal. New scientific methods and aims are constantly coming into vogue, for science is merely another name for progress, and it must be borne in mind she will not rest content until the life history and habits of every'organism are accurately known, together with the facts and reasons regarding the distribution of all plants and animals, the manner in which the species themselves have originated, and their mechanism as living machines. Previous expeditions have worked chiefly near the coast. The present well-equipped one should traverse Auckland and Adams Islands rroro end to end, notwithstanding the boisterous and wet climate or the dense character of forest and scrub. To Campbell Island the same remarks apply, and there another problem should be advanced, which I had the great pleasure of first approaching in 1903, that is, the changes in the vegetation which shecpfarming 5s calling forth. The fauna of the fresh-water streams is quite unknown, and here the zoologists will be kept busy. Much minute animal life also exists on the masses of seaweeds along the shoreline. On the floor of forests and meadows and elsewhere will be found many land shells which will form welcome material for Mr. Suter's great work. The peat bogs should yield information as to the former vegetation of the islands. The, virgin soils will be analysed by Mr. Ashton and their water-content noted, and such facts brought into line with the structure of the vegetation and life-forms of the plants. Insects have as yet been little studied in the sub-Antarctic region, and, although rather early in the year, Mr. Hudson will find even the long days too short for this work. The sea-Hone will be a constant source of admiration and alarm, while the wonderful bird-life will be a pleasure to all, and much that is new should be learned as to their habits. The fertilisation of the flowers, the structure of buds, the life-forms of the various species, their combination into societies and many other matters botanical should receive attention. The artist of the early explorers will be replaced by the modern camera, and hundreds of photographs, good, bad, and indifferent—these two latter categories doubtless in excess—will await development. As for the magnetic and geological work, an account is written by others, but enough has been said to show that the excursion is not merely an "idle" one, though it will be a time of constant enjoyment never to be forgotten by those lucky enough to have taken a part in it.

As for the gain to New Zealand, the expedition will be watched with interest in every civilised land, since at the present time what with Antarctic expeditions and with the evergreen problem—the existence or non-existence of former land connection with South America and Australasia—the ,, sub-Ant-arctic region as a whole and that of New Zealand in particular looms before the scientific world. In these days of Nature study, too, it is imperative that our fauna and flora should be thoroughly investigated. If our children are to be taught true facts and good methods these must be found out by the learned of the land. Before the text-book can be written the scientific man must investigate- in short, original research is the keynote of progess. Nor should the practical man, looking for economic results, despair. Facts as to the life, histories and physiology of plants and animals, a true knowledge of soils and virgin vegetation, the effect of environment on form and structure, these are matters which deeply concern the farmer, the gardener, and the physician. New Zealand is not alone in these sub-Ant-arctic explorations. Sweden is sending a party for two years to the Falkland Islands and Fuegia. Our energetic rival, the Argentine, sends another to the latter region, while she 'lias already established one meteorological station on the far-off South Orkney Isles and proposes to erect a second to study weather conditions still further towards the Pole.

Our expedition is small in comparison with the above, but it will do its best. We have, moreover, a" Ministry which is fully a-ware of the high value of pure science as distinct from the socalled practical. For this present expedition the scientists of New Zealand as a whole are truly grateful to the Government, while at the same time they hope that it will mark a new scientific era making our beloved land still more worthy of its new title of Dominion.

Machaquito, the crack bull-fighter of Spain, makes £20,000 a year at his calling, and perhaps is the only matador alive who is by birth a gentleman. He was married the other uay. To signalise the occasion he gave £2,000 to the poor of Cartagena and founded two asylums for the aged poor. The wedding presents, mauy of which bore cards from Spam's oldest and noblest families, filled :thre# large rooms; By way of contrast,