ARCTIC EXPEDITION

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 38, 13 August 1921, Page 15

ARCTIC EXPEDITION

SPITSBERGEN TREASURES

BIR-DS, OYSTERS, AND GLACIERS.

\ Two parties of. Oxford.scientists have sailed in a. Eepling sloop for Eastern Spits-: bergon. This party includes zoologists and botanists, whoso mission it will I>b to make some fa6chiating investigations into the habita of some rare and almost unknown Arctic birds and the rate of growth of certain spineless marine creatures* such as oysters and sponges. The expedition may, indeed, solve some problems of bird and marine life that have long puzzled naturalists; and there »r« other aspects of it, concerning the geology and the climatic conditions of the Arotio regions, that are of the highest soientifio interest ( This is the first time 'in the history of Oxford University that a scientific expedition has been equipped to explore the Arotio seas. Many names famous in science are to be found among** the members taking tart in the expedition. Perhaps the most interesting part of this work will be the study of the habits of a lovely wading- bird known aa the grey pharalope, and those of the equally lovely sandpiper. The female of both these, species leaves everything- but the actual laying of the eggg to her mate. He builds the nest, sits on tho egg*,, and feeds the young—a henpecked husband if ever there was one^—while she goes off to enjoy herself. BIRDS AND THEIR ESMIEEES. • The orniihofogißto of the expedition hope to make a careful study of these two species of Arctic birds, for very little is known about them. The rammer months afford the best opportunity for making this etudjr, 03 the Spitsbergen Islands— deserted in winter—-are then alive with thousands of bird visitors, all busily engaged in rearing their families. There will be an equally fascinating problem for the students of certain forms of marine life, Invertebrates—that is, spineless creatures—like the oyster and the sponge, have,, of course, a high economic value. Experiments have been going- on for some time at Plymouth designed to test the rate of growth of these oreatures. - " ■ » Bafts are constructed and towered into the sea at times when the larvao of these invertebrates ate most common. Some of the larvae attaoh themselves to {he raft«, and are- later oollected and studied. It is not known whother the summer and winter growths_ of these sea animals are uniform— -a, point which in the case of oysters, to take one instance, is of great econamio importance. It is hoped to make experiments at Spitsbergen similar to those at Plymouth, and to compare the two results. Glacier motion is to be studied, and the fertilisation insects of Spitsbergen—and much geographical knowledge will be acquired. The Oxford Expedition will not be spectacular, but it is certain to produce a valuable accession to the world's stock of knowledge oh many scientific matters. An important discovery, * new method of extracting aluminium from a certain mineral, which affects the future development- of Japanese industry and the formulation of aii established air policy of tho Japaneso Government, is the result of the investigations, whioh have been car- , ried oak by tho oxporiment station on tho produotion of aluminium and its compounds. A great refinery plant driven by electric power will bo established at Yoyogi. A project is under contenipla- j tion to establish a. semi-Governmental I oompany for tho manufacture of aluminium by the now method; which consists in the electrical ani-lysis of oro by Korean alum and other materials Arid enables tho i production of more than 99 per cent, of j aluminnun, ' ' ■