Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-08-02
NEW ARCTIC EXPEDITION
Originator Of the Enterprise De-
scribes Its Plans.
BIRDS AND PLANTS TO BE STUDIED.

| III h BrOLnS OF STOCKHOLM, VINO Is the
weaIthIest mine owner In Sweden, Is
furnishing the money for an expedition
to visit Spitzbergen and northwestern
| Greenland this summer to ascertain
new facts in the domain of ornithology,
entomology and marine zoology. He
tells in the following article in the St.
Paul Pioneer-Press the results he hopes
the expedition will accomplish:
| Secrets that have long been locked in
the tcebound region of the far north
are to be brought into the light Of sci
entific knowledge by means of an expe-
dition that is being sent out under my
| direction. 1 am asked by American
| friends to explain the objects of the ex-
petition fully. and 1 answer with
| pleasure that the plan Is to send a sci
entific research party under the leader
| ship of Mr.. Gustav Koltoff, the con-
| servator of the university in Upsala,
| Sweden, to visit first Beeren island,
then Spitzbergen and the northeast of
Greenland to study bird life and plant
life and investigate thoroughly the IN
known features of the frozen land.
Instead OF trying to study anything
and everything. as former expeditions
have done, resulting in many in
stances in nothing of Importance being
accomplished, this expedition Will limit
its labors to the proper investigation of
the special branches enumerated.
There is much to be cleared up con-
corning the biology OF the birds of the
far north. and many of the feathered
tribe If brought to the museums of our
cities would not be recognized at all.
Then the arctic insect fauna, which
more especially on the coast of Green
land has shown great richness of form,
will provide the expedition with an in
teresting subject for study and enable
it to bring back many specimens that
will be new to the scientific world.
Geological investigations in the arctic
seas have been confined to the COM
paratively accessible regions around
Spitzbergen and on the west of Green
land. Rich haFvests can consequently
be looked for by the expedition when
its dredgers get to work in the deep
seas that have never been explored
for these specimens. During the jour
ney from SpitZbergen westward to
Jan Mayen there will be daily dredg-
ings and scrapings of the bottom of the
sea.
If circumstances permit, the expedi-
ton will land on Jan Mayen, where
there is a wealth of interesting bird
fauna that will be closely studied. The
last goal of the expedition, the north
east of Greenland, is expected to be
reached by the end of July. The Duna
islands will be thoroughly explored
and every living thing. whether fish,
flesh, fowl or plant, closely investigat-
ed, and If of the smallest Importance
specimens retained for further and
more leIsurely discussion when the ex-
petition reaches civilization again.
These Duna islands. 1t may be noted,
are especially interesting by reason Of
the fact that strange breed of geese
is to be found there, which has never
been transported to other lands for
breeding purposes. Specimens will be
brought away and an effort made to
Introduce this new breed of geese in
Sweden.
An anchorage will be found at Bell
sound, and after a careful and sys-
tematic study has been made of this
locality the course will be steered for
Ice sound. In Advent bay the first
news of the expedition will be received
by the friends who are left behind.
From this point expeditions will be
sent to the adjoining region and every
interesting specimen secured and
brought back 10 the ship.
The ship by this time will have be-
come floating museum and aviary. A
plant for Matching the eggs Of rare and
little known birds will be taken along,
and while the expedition is in progress
this important branch of the work will
be carried on under the direction of a
capable man. so that by the time the
ship returns it is expected that there
will be on board a choice and interest
ing collection OF birds that have been |
born in captivity for the first time in |
the history of the world.
II Ii Is possible to find such q rarity,
specimens OF arctic musk OK will be |
captured by means of the lasso and |
brought back on the ship with the hope
that the climate of Sweden, which diff |
fers little from that of the native land |
of the musk OK. will not be found too |
mild for such a rare northern animal |
Fifteen carefully selected men will !
comprise the crew of the expedition. |
which will be abundantly supplied |
with provisions. so that in the evennof |
the ship becoming icebound there will |
be no fear OF starvation Everything /
that the ship brings back will be do
mated TO the government museum at /
Stockholm.
Such are the plans for an expedition |
which do not say is very pretentious,
but which I think win prove as inter
esting as regards results as any that
has started for the far north Those 1
in rare bird life will be sup
piled with an abundance OF material |
for new studies. Besides. the unravel- /
ing of mysteries Is always fascinating