THE BIOLOGISTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13876, 29 October 1910, Page 10

THE BIOLOGISTS.

SCOPE OF THEIR W T ORK. The biological Avork of the expedition will be in the hands of two enthusiastic young scientists, Messrs E. W. Nelson, Avho Avill be attached to the western. party, and D. G. Lillie, Avho Avill continue on board the Terra Nova after the shore party haA-e been left at the expedition's base, and Avho Avill conduct the biological work to be done by the ship after sho has returned to Lyttelton for stores. Mr Nelson, who has been engaged for tho past three years in the Plymouth Biological Laboratory in connection Avith tho fishery investigations in tho English Channel, explained to ■a reporter the nature of the Avork that ho hoped to be able to successfully- accomplish in the south. In connection Avith former Antarctic expeditions he said that as the scientific men were in the position of pioneers they had been unable to do any specialisation. They had had to take everything that they found, and Avere unable to pick and'ehoose or follow any particular line of investigation. The scientific men Avith the previous expeditions having done this pioneer Avork, and having obtained a general idea of the fauna of the Antarctic regions, it Avas now possible for tho scientific men with Captain Scott's expedition to devote attention to special phases of the different subjects to bo investigated. Tho biologists, for instance, Avould be able to concentrate on tho important and special departments of the study of the living creatures that inhabit the Antarctic and the surrounding seas, and would bo able to select the best specimens for preservation and examination. He, himself, desired to specialise in plankton, the microscopic life in the sea; at the same time, he hoped to carry out an investigation into the -enditions under which life exists in the ocean. Somo Antarctic creatures showed a modification of well-known -i-gans, and it would be his endeavour to attempt to ascertain what causes ;uch modification. The effect of the ong Antarctic darkness upon life, especially A-egetable life, was anothar •roblem that he hoped to attempt to >olve, and in doing so he would probacy get some indication of the cause of he modification of Avell-known organs ilieady referred to. The great difficulty that was experienced by Mr Hodgson, tho biologist Avith the Discovery expedition, was that v. hen he took -peejmens of life from the Antarctic yens they became frozen immediately they ivere taken from the water. Mr Nelson said that he intended to attempt to get his ocean biological specimens in an unfrozen condition and to attain that end he proposed using Thermos flasks. This method had not been tried before, and he could not, of course, say whether or rot it would be successful. With the aid of a specially-devised instrument he was hopeful that lie would be able to k'et records of the temperature of the pecan at different depths; it wa.s also 'oped that tho Avator from the sea could -c got and conveyed to the expedition., tjase. and analysed in an unfrozen condition. Regarding the instruments generally, ho said "that the expedition possessed a complete equipment designed ior biological ivork. The class oi instruments on board had been evolved I

frc-m the experiences gamed by the International I'isheries' investigations Captain Scott had been extremely ■"encicns in allowing the biologists to "have a good collection of instruments, and they had taken the opportunity to provide thomselve. with everything in reason. • & Mr Nelson added that the present would bo his first experience ot P„l»r expeditions. Of the fisheries investi._. tic lis, in winch he j 1;ls hc>m ongag J ed during the pas three years he s,wkwith mudi enthusiasm, and' said tliat on his return from the Antarctic, and alter he had completed his portion of the biological work of the expedition, winch would have to be done in England he would return to tho fisheries' investigation work. Mr D J. Lillie, the other biologist, will be stationed on tho Terra Nova all the time }~_ principal work being dredging for sea animals, from which some interesting results are expected by him Do«„ j n the Antarctic seas, i L,,l ;v a? ' s ' are al - sons <* *»»* mals, different altogether from those in the northern regions. The placo has never been properly trawled, and he is looking forward cagerlv to tho results ho expects to obtain. Mr Lillie, whoso great work has been the studying of animal lite and living organisms, says they hope to have another cruise in the Terra Nova when the shore parties have been landed, and it is hoped then to nick up scientists in New Zealand to "go round tho southern islands with them, in which case Mr Lillie will do tho dredging work Avhilst the others avi'll land on tlio islands. Mr Lillio, who is a Cambridge man, has done Avhaling work off the Iceland coast. He is looking eagerly forward to his work in the south, a Avork that he has tho keenest enthusiasm for. He also is | a neophyte to tho ice land. j METEOROLOGY AND MAGNETISM. Lieutenant H. L. L. Pennell, R.N., ' to whom has been entrusted the neteorological and magnetic work on ihe Terra Nova, will also be the navigating officer of tho vessel during the jcriod that the shoro parties are engaged in exploration work at the Antirctic. His meteorological work, he tated. would consist of making and ecording tho observations customarily nade on such expeditions and by ob- , _ervers generally throughout tho Avorld, I except under special conditions. Lieutenant Pennell. assisted by Lieutenant Bowers, will conduct the survey or resurvey of any lands that may be seen. THE ZOOLOGICAL STAFF. Surgeon G. M. Levick, R.N., is not only ono of the doctors attached to tlio expedition, but he is also attached to tho zoological staff as avoll as being one of tho photographers aboard. Surgeon Levick will form ono of the eastern party, six strong, which hopes to land on the Great Barrier itself, so far an unknown land. Not only will the party indulge in scientific work, but will also make an attempt at exploration of King Edward Land, which no ono yet can tell is a vast continent or a group of islands. The party will winter probably on the Barrier, a thing which has never been done before. They will have three ponies at their disposal, and Avill erect a hut, and they expect to remain two years in that unknown land. Surgeon Levick believes Captain Soott Avill first see the party landed on tho ice and then sail back to his base. Of course it is not only in exploration work that the party will indulge, tho scientific side A\*ill receive full attention. There is very little plant rife down in that part of Antarctica Avhero the party propose to land, but neverthelesf, thoy hope to add much to the world's knowledge of Avhat does grow there. A plant that Surgeon I_evick is principally interested in is tho rotiphera, Avhich is to be found in the freshwater frozen pools of tho icy South, but Avhich is always found to bo alive Avhen taken out. It is thawed out of the pools for only a short timo in the summer. Another strange fact is that though tho plant has been heated almost to boiling point, it has still been found to be aiive. Other things which will interest Surgeon I<evick are the seals, penguins, and gulis. The party consists of Lieutenant Campbell, Surgeon Levick, a geologist, and three seamen.

This is the first Polar expedition Surgeon Levick has been attached to. and, heedless to say, he is looking fortvard to the experience.. He is a surgeon in the Royal Navy, and all his foreign service has been in tie Mediterranean. Ho has don© a lot of shooting in Asia Minor. Surgeon Levjck has done considerable work in connection Avith tho Malta fever, and has written papers on tho (subject to the "British Medical Journal." Surgeon Levick has, however, also shone in other pursuits. In a country like New Zealand, where Rugby football is the national game, it Avill be of interest to learn that ho was tho founder of the Navy Rugby Union-, and was ono of its principal lights for many years, besides having played for many seasons Avitli the United Services Club. Tliis is Surgeon Levick's first visit to New Zealand, and he is looking forward to seeing something of the country before he finally returns to Old England. He says that tho trip in tho Terra Nova right through Avas most enjoyable, especially from Melbourne to Lyttelton, Avliich provided a splendid run. All on board Avere very fit and no sickness had been experienced at all, with the exception of one of the scientific party falling a victim to measles beforo they had reached Capetown. Mr A. G. B. Cherry-Garrard, assistant zoologist to the western party, confessed that this also was his first atempt at Polar exploration. He has but recently graduated from Oxford.