Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-19

tary series so far described by explor-
ing biologists,
Antarctica a plateau type Of structure
prevails. II reaches its greatest height
on the eastern border, where South
Victoria Land rises abruptly from the
ice shelf. known as Ross Barrier. to.
attitudes ranging 1900 to 10000 feet
above sea level. This highland con-
sists Of huge faulted mountain strur-
lures, which act as a mighty dam to
the ice on the plateau behind to the
west. Through great riffs in this dam,
glaciers flow down into Ross Barrier.
On his poleward journey, Scott crossed
one of these, the largest known valley
glacier in the world-tile Beardmore
Along the Ross Sea this range has al
most north and south trend until 1t
reaches latitude IS degrees, where it
takes a decided swing toward the east.
or the central part of Eastern Ant
arctica. the African quadrant, little is
known. The same holds true In large
Dredgings from the floor of weddell
Sea brought up rock matter that sug-
gests a geological relationship to the
African and Australian quadrants. But
still further west the Graham Land
peninsula is clearly an ampliflcation or
continuation Of the Andes Of South
America. A backbonelike ridge, this
peninsula has been quite rightly called
the Antarcticandes. Recently Sir HUI
bert Winkins in his explorations proved
to his satisfaction that Graham Land
was not a peninsula but two islands
separated by ice straits.
The Pacific Quadrant.
Completing the Antarctic Continent
we have the Pacific quadrant. or West
Antarctica, whose western border is
Ross Sea. Before Comdr's Byrd's dis
covery of the Rockefeller Mountains
the only known lands in the border
zone of this region were the low ice
covered Alexandra Mountains on the
coast Of King Edward VII Land, IN
latitude n degrees south. Practically
all we know Of the interior OF this part
of the continent is meager tntorma-
ton collected by Amundsen on his polar
journey. To the east of his route in
longitude 157 west and between latl-
tude 81 and 80 he noted high bare
rocks, and slightly further began
more pronounced high land, which he
called Carmen Land. This mountain
ridge continues southwark to 66, where
begin the great ranges already noted
that extend up the western side OF the
Ross Barrier and continue from here
toward the Queen Maud Range.
Amundsen believed this chain to ira
verse the whole continent and termi-
mated in the neiHhborhood Of Weddell
Sea.
Such Is the outline Of the main
structural features of Antarctica. And
even this brief survey at once sug-
gests such questions as these:
Does Queen Maud Range really con-
stitute q continuation Of the ranges
from South Victoria Land? Does this
great range stretch across the CONT
nent or connect with the Antarctic
andes, or do the Antarcticandes bend
eastward to reappear In the border
zone of west Antarctica? Are we deal
ing with two land masses Of continent
al proportion, or do east and west
Antarctica merge as a common whole?
Probably the most interesting fossils,
both of plant and animal, so far
found have been taken from Graham
Land. Yet the geology Of the Aus
tralian quadrant has been most COM
pletely worked out, a sequence OF geo
logical formations from old pre-Cam-
But these known pages OF the geo
logical history OF Antarctica are in
places badly rnutilated and torn, and
as many pages are entirely lacking
millions upon millions Of years have
elapsed for which we have yet no
record-it is at once evident that there
is no more difficult task than to de-
cipher the character of the pre-glacial
climates. It is of interest, however. that
all of our slender evidence indicates the
present climatic conditions are excep-
tional. Beginning with the Cambrian
deposits, the oldest rocks definitely
known to contain fossils, there is ample
evidence in the character of fossil
remains to indicate that Antarctica
was favored by warm climate. Such
evidence Is found in all fossiliferous
rocks that succeed these very old Cam
brian strata.
The Penguin's Ancestors.
No account of the Graham Land
fossils would be complete without men
ton Of forms which appear to be
ancestral to the modern penguin--that
most curious anphibian bird whose
humorous and even human-like be-
havior has been the delight Of all
Antarctic explorers from the earliest to
the present. Many Of these ancestral
psnguins we're much taller than even
the huge modern emperor penguin.
There were also land birds that in
habited the continent for the long
periods of mild climate that preceded
the glacial period. BY fairly amazing
high degree of adaptation these birds
survived the complete slaciation of the
continent.
Even today the emperor penguin and
its cousin, the Adele penguin, persist
In q most extraordinary manner, re-
IaAiH tn haf
only be reminiscent of the days when
ice was so extensive that there were no
ice-free lands within range of the birds
upon which their eggs could be deposited
and Matched. For no apparent reason,
these two species of penguins wait until
the dead of Winter, the coolest and
darkest time of year, to rear young
Furthermore, without any pretense Of
making nest each female emperor lays
a single egg upon the ice, and at once
removes 1t from the ice surface to rest
on her own feet. Held between the legs
against patch of bare skin on the
abdomen and covered by flap of skin
and. feathers, the egg is tncubated. Both
males and females share In the process
of incubation.
There is one thing Of interest to
geologist which should be briefly men
toned. That Is the field glacial studies
made possible by this greatest Of all ice
masses. Here are 10 be found all of the
main types Of land ice, so here can be
tested our modern theories Of ice action
Only here and In Greenland can we
make certain comparisons with the ice
sheets of the great glacial age that so
profoundly affected North America and
Northern Europe.
Character Of Rockefeller Mountains.
Considering the fact that former
Antarctic expeditions have found their
Summers in the field largely occupied
with getting established we we're for
tunate to accomplish any geological
work this season. The nearest exposed