Page:The Botany of the Antarctic Voyage.djvu/247

Falklands, etc.] late Admiral D'Urville visited these islands during Admiral Duperrey's voyage in the French corvette 'la Coquille,' and added some additional species to those of Gaudichaud, and these were described in the "Annales de la Soci&eacute;t&eacute; Linn&egrave;enne de Paris." More recently Mr. Darwin formed a small collection of Falkland Island plants, as did Mr. Wright, a mercantile gentleman, and Captain Sulivan, now commanding H. M. S. 'Philomel,' who had previously visited this group during Captain Fitzroy's voyage. The 'Erebus' and ' Terror' remained in Berkeley Sound for the five winter months of 1842; during which year almost all the previously known species were gathered, with numerous others, especially Cryptogamia, by myself and Dr. Lyall, whose beautiful collection of the interesting Alg&aelig; of this group of itself forms an important addition to Antarctic Botany.

Considering the distance of the Falkland Islands from the continent, their size, the extent of surface covered with vegetation, and above all, their geological formation and the nature of their climate, the number of peculiar species is very insignificant; such circumstances generally accompanying or being indicative of a concomitant change in botanical features, specific difference itself being by some attributed wholly to the operation of these causes, and the immutability of species thence called in question. The Falkland Islands appear ill adapted to the more striking vegetation of Fuegia or of Patagonia, if we may judge from the absence of trees and even of such bushes as Berberis, Uscallonia, Fuchsia, Bibes, &amp;c, which grow in the former country and to all of which the changeable nature of the climate is injurious; while, on the other hand, the mean temperature is too low for the Leguminos&aelig;, Mahace&aelig;, and other predominant Orders of Patagonia. It is more remarkable that some of the plants of each are seen, composing together the whole vegetation, yet appearing unchanged by a climate that is certainly unfavourable to the general flora of those distant regions where these very species most abound. To conclude by an example, Sisyrinchium and Oxalis enneaphylla wall not associate themselves with the Tassac and Empetrum in Cape Horn, nor are Astelia and Caltha appendiculata to be found in company with Nassauvia and Calceolaria Fotliergillii on the coast of Patagonia, though all these may be seen growing side by side in the Falklands in the greatest profusion.

Immediately to the south of Cape Horn are groups of islands, and possibly a larger body of land. Vegetation in the Southern Hemisphere reaches the northern shores of these inhospitable spots, where, at a distance of no less than thirty-six degrees from the actual Pole and three degrees to the northward of the Antarctic circle, the flora of the south finds its extreme limit.

The South Shetlands have been visited by an American gentleman of scientific acquirements, Dr. Eights, who detected a small species of Grass, the Aira antarctica, Hook., (Icon. Plant, vol. ii. t. 150), the most Antarctic flowering plant hitherto discovered. One of the group, Deception Island, was explored by Captain Foster in H. M. S. 'Chanticleer,' and we