SCIENCE AND THE SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 24, 23 October 1907, Page 10

SCIENCE AND THE SOUTH.

A NEW ZEALAND EXPEDITION.

LOADING THE HINEMOA,

Tents and other camping apparatus lent by the Defence Department have now boon placed on board tho Government steamer Hinomoa,' which is to carry a large party of Now Zealand scientists'- co ' tho Southern Islands next month. Professor Kirk's scientific apparatus is also safo on board, although the great bulk; of the scientific equipment will be shipped at.Lyttclton. The Hiriemoa' having got through her Northern '.business more quickly than was expected; the expedition will leavo tho Do-minion-a little earlier than had been arranged. It is now prop_osed to leavo the BlnlF on November 7. It is feared that this enrly departure niay prevent one or two members of tho contemplated party from making tho journey.

Wellington will lie almost certainly represented by tho following scientists:—Professor H. B. Kirk; Mr. B. C. Aston, Chief Chemist of tho Agricultural Department; and Mr. H. B. Hudson, entomologist. It is not quite certain whether Mr. A. Hamilton, Curator of the National Museum, will bo. able to accompany tho expedition; and Mr. A. H. Cockayne, of the Agricultural Dopartmenfc, who has been invited to go as plant pathologist, may possibly be unable to get away., Application was made for a member of tho geological survey to make one of the party, but no one has been appointed to go. This is unfortunate, as we understand that the geological staff of the expedition is not sufficiently strong. A paleontologist should go, if only to examine tho fossils on Campbell Island.

"The expedition will pursue its investigations contemporaneously with a Swedish expedition, under Dr. C. Skottsberg, which is spending two years in tho Fucginn region, another part of the same biological region as that in which tho New Zealand scientists will work, and a botanical expedition sent out by the Argentine Government, which is working in Terra del Fuego. The three expeditions will carry on the work begun by the British Antarctic expedition, in the Discovery, and Swedish and German expeditions, a couple of years ago. Dr. Skottsberg, tho Swedish leader, was botanist of the Swedish exploring party which experienced great hardships on that occasion.

It is proposed that different parties of the New Zealand expedition shall spend ten days on the Auckland Islands, and about seven days oil Campbell Island. Tho entire expedition will visit the iSnares. A largo whaleboat and a crow of expert boatmen will bo taken aboard tho Hincmoa at tho Bluff, so that the Auckland Islands party may be able to visit the different parts of tho coast, which is very necessary, so that traces of ancient glaciation may bo sought for. The Marino Department will bo asked to give Captain Bollonsj of-the Hinemoa, special facilities for dredging and for procuring native birds.

Dr. L. Cockayne, of Christchurch, will take with him six specially-oonstructed bird-cages, in which ho will bring back specimens of'tho following birds, for liberation on Kapiti Island:—The Snares Island fern bird, Chatham Islands robin, Auckland Islands duck, Auckland Islands snipo, Snares snipe, Anti- , podes Island parrakcet, and Auckland Islands parraquet. The duck is the curious flightless duck which mado itself at home in the aviary of the recent New Zealand International Exhibition at. Cliristchurch. It is found only in tho northern end of tho Auckland Islands, and moves about on the sea amongst the kelp, living chiofly on the isopods which it finds on shore amongst tho rotting sea weed. In captivity, however, it takes most kindly to a diet of bread and milk. Dr. Cockayne- believes that the calm waters on tho northern sido of Kapiti Island should bo quite suitablo for naturalising this most raro and interesting bird, thereby increasing its chanco of perpetuation.