The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-05-13
SCIENCE AFLOA1.
The kgassiz Expedition on the
Patagonian Coast.
OYSTERS A Foot In DIAMETER.
A Desert Where Even Thistles
Will Not Grew.
Rich Harvest of geological
Specimens.
EAl STONES LARGE As WALEUTS.
Plains Strewn with the Bones OF
the Puma's Victims.
Extinct Volcanoes Of the South
ern Islands.
EAM STOKES LARGE As WALEUTS.
Plains StreWn with the Bones Of
the Puma's Victims.
Extinct Volcanoes Of the South
ern Islands.
Skeletons of Sea Lions in the
Isle Of Gulls.
UNITED STATES COAST SURVEY STEAMER
HAsSLER, candy POINT Patagonia,
March Is 1879.

UNITED STATES COAST SURVEY STEAMER)
HAssIER, SANDY POINT, Patagonia, I
March IS, 1872. }
Abou. eleven O'Clock on the morning OF February
ea we received Official notice that the quarantine
which had prevented Ms nom visiting the city OF
Nontevideo at an end. We had laid In the mar
Dor for i've days. detained by the necessity OF tax
hg in fresh supply OF coal, and having only irregu
lar communication with the Shore The weather
Sor the majority OF this time had been overcast or
stormy, with fresh winds and quite heavy sea,
preventing the coal lighters from coming to our
anchorage on the quarantine station, which is some
distance from the shore. Pratiqua was therefore
doubly welcome, as relieving us from the mOnotony
Uf quarantine and also permitting our close APP
preach to the town. This was made carly in the
afternoon; three lighters soon came alongside the
coal was taken or board within an hour, and at
halrpast ten P. NJ having been detained for a
short time by the darkness of the night, got l:
der way and steamed ont OF the harbor. Very little
time had thus been allowed us to see any
thing Of the character OF the city; but
the hurried glimpse which the fortunate trio who
were able TO go on shore obtained showed them
broad clean, welpayed streets, substantial public
aud private edfces, a fine cathedral and marked
amount OF business activity and prosperity. The
principal hndrGnce 10 the commercial advance
ment OF this as Of many other South American
revolutions being very frequent and the chief ct
tenton Of the presiding rulers during their brief
and insecure terms OF ONCE being given to personal
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. At two O'Clock on the following
morning we took our departure from Flores Island
light, distant about six miles, and steamed down
she river. At daylight two high hills and other land
were in sight to the northeast, but soon disap-
peared. DredGings were taken near the mouth in
the morning. and again in the afternoon. and on
both occasions with satisfactory results the drcdge
bringing up various species of hoothurin, sponges
sscidians, actinia, &c. Among the mollusks one Of
she most interesting was n species Of the genus
OLIVIA, the animals belonging to which provided
with large foot, in which the shell is half i'm
merscd. They are all very. active, and may be seen
gliding about sea beaches or burying Themselves
In the sand the tide retires The species OBJ
tanned at this time progressed through the water
by using its foot a wing, Mapping its expanded
sides upon the water In peculiar manner.
During the next few days we enjoyedfne weather
and fair winds, and the morning of March
3drcdged again, In latitude forty degrees south
and about thirty miles from the shore. We there
obtained, together with numerous other specimens
some curious mouscan eggs OF the genus voluta.
They were attached to the valves Of shells OF an.
other genus hemisphcrical in shape about
half the size OF hens egg gelatinous, semi-tran-
sparent, and each contained six living embryos.
They were filled with nuid which was found to
be slightly albuminous, and salter than the sur
rounding sea water, The few observations we were
enabled to make showed that this possessed pre-
ciscly the same density in different specimens
seeming 10 indicate either some selective adap-
tive power in the animal Itself, or some uninvcs-
tigated law OF osmosis. We were made aware
during the day OF our nearness TO land by visit
from little bird OF about the size and appearance
IF O,rt fc q
and seemed well pleased with its new hahi-
tation and companions, rather seeking than
avoiding our proximity. On the same day also we
met the first floating pieces OF the kelp or macrocys
lis pyrfera, the largest known alga, of which we
have since seen immense quantities. Its home is
on the rocks around the coasts OF Patagonia Terra
del Fuego and the Falkland Islands, Where it grows
IN depths OF from six to twenty fathoms, forming
vast beds and indicating TO the navigator the To-
caiitics which re should avoid. Ii has branching
root, in the intricacfos OF which small molluses
crustaceans, echinodeuns and anneiids nestle, and
from which long slender stems arise and reach the
surface OF the water, these giving on hundreds OF
elongated leaves, each provided at it's, base with
pyrHorm air yesicle These stems grow 80 be OF
Immense length, having been estimatcd at from
700 70 J, 600 feet. ihus probably constituting
THE MOST ELONGATED OF ALL ORGANIZED BEINGS,
ARD dwarlng in comparison the redwood of Cali
Iornia OF Tue eucalyptus OF Australia. 1t continues
10 grow long after 4 Is detached from ia parent
bed, and the extent Of It's geographical range seems
70 be principally determined 10y the currents ana
temperature OF fhe water. IL inhabs the whole
surface OF the Pacific Ocean, and in tile Longitude
81 western America ranges nom the Arctic to the
Antarctic Circle, while N the Atlantic its northern
limit Is believed TO De q out the River Plate in ati
fude tlriy-lyc degrees south.
Al daylight on March we made land or Bcrn,eo
Head me northern point ~ entrance TO the Guif Of
San Matias, into which w intended TO penetrate
A short stoppage was made 10 Chedge there and the
bottom was found 10 consis. OF DARK sapd and small
shells, chiefly paodor@ IN, eini and Terebeatnlsr
During he rest OF the day the coast Of Patagonia
remained in sight as we faI along the north crn
shore OF the gulf and late il the evening" we an-
chored on Cliff End, the western extremity OF 4
range of hills about one hundred feet m height, ex-
tending for eighteen miles Wifott single break.
This point Is about nity iniies west OF iIciihejo
Head.
Early the next morniDg boats' were lowered and
the scientific party were landai " examine Tue
shore and the adjacent GENTRY, " nile portion OF
the crew employed uLder the sdlrection oil one
OF the officers In hauling q seiue. SIhe clii5 were
found to be regularly and mirl-ay ,snat,neu, tne
lower portions consisting OF q SoH saoustoie or
clay highly fossillfer0us, contai uipg ttIIitteie,
buccni, echine pecteres, immense 0yslefa iool III
tinct species. The character OF the Lnss was dis
portion OF tile lNf
GRAND TERTIARY FORMATION OF PATAGONIA.
fald by Darwin and others 10 extend for eesch vn-
ired miles from the strait OF Magellan to about the
,aiitude at winch we then were and to re Ven irvn
,ne cnah Of le Andes to the shores or the ASAuptc
~ ~ rare 10 iind deposits belonging to such JeceIt
eras IN geological time covering such ext elSive
ac,s ana ths IS probably the most renal SaDte
instance OF such a case, If II Il not unique. IL -
everywhere reported 70 he covered with a & mex
paayei derived from porphyritc rocks, but to liza We
NJ an intermediate stratum n layer OF a whiteS
Cretaceous or argillaccOus sediment, which con-
.Alus lew or no FOSSILS Darwin, who studied these
appearances In 1884, explained them nv the hvuo.
snsr,s VI gradual rise IN the whole vast Pata-
CONAN PLAIN beginning al time when the bases or
M, , naoa meIe submerged and great mass OF
beating against their cliffs. IA Tins Ma toot Mace
''o Ecu 'nost nave retreated ana ia SO doing