Evening star., 1939-10-17
Expedition Returns
omLabradorW With
$1,000 Specimens
Dr.. O'NieII of Catholic U
Was With Group; Will
Lecture Friday

The cold reaches of the Labrador
coast and the shores of Hudson Bay
are often visualized as haboring little
if any vegetation or animal life. But
an expedition which has just re-
turned to Catholic University after
several months In the northland
found veritable wealth of geology
and botany.
The scientists brought back $4,000
botanical specimens which would
belle the lands bleakness. The Rev.
DR.. Hugh O'Neill, professor of botany
at the university, with a group from
the University of Montreal, in 75-
foot motor fishing smack went up
the coast of Labrador and around
into Hudson Bay. Those in the
group were particularly interested
in mapping the Arctic tree line.
They found that trees, as such,
did not grow beyond a diagonal
line, which ran from the 52-degree
longitude on Hudson Bay northeast
to the 59th line in Labrador. Speci-
mems were brought back of 25-year-
old willow trees" of the region
whose trunks" were less than an
inch in diameter.
Plants Fight to Live.
In this far north land, Prof
ONeill said yesterday, the black
spruce and tamarac form the out
posts of the tree world. Ground
plants were found in profusion,
fighting for life in rock cracks, in
old stream beds and along beach
edges.
The Arctic primrose, shield fern,
poppy, club moss, cotton grass and
lichens are found in great numbers,
he said. The cotton grass had a
stand Of about inches, topped by
a silky cluster of cottonlike ma
terial which the Eskimos weave into
wicks for their oil lamps.
The scientist estimated the Eski-
mo and Indian population was ex-
tremely sparse, with roughly one
village for every 100 miles of sur
rounding territory. The food supply
could not support a larger popula-
ton. he pointed out. :.
The expedition returned with sew
eral thousand feet of film, which
will be shown during a lecture at 8
pm. Friday in McMahon Hall. DR..
O'Neill will tell of the expeditions
findings.
DR.. O'Neill was accompanied back
by the Rev. Maximillian Duman, a
student Of botany at Catholic Uni
versity. A third university scientist,
the Rev. Pere A. Dutilly, has not yet
returned.
A number Of walrus ivory carvings
were brought back, illustrating Es-
kimo handicraft. Several valuable
pieces show kyaks, native lamps,
paddles and harpoons excellently
carved with crude instruments.
During their "a stops for observa-
tions, willow trees only 3 inches
high were found. The specimens
brought to Washington show they
are bushlike, scrubby, with a high
gloss bark. The leaves were over
size for the height of the "trees."
Study Of Sedges Made.
DR.. ONeill particularly made a
study of sedges. In a forthcoming
book which, in collaboration with
other scientists will be devoted to
Flora Arctica, he will devote a chap
ter to this particular phase Of plant
life. OF unusual note, he said, was
the fact that flora all around the
Arctic region is uniform, there
being a marked similarity to those
in Alaska, Russia and Canada.
Because of the intense cold and
adverse weather conditions gener-
ally, little life seemed evident, but
where erosion had formed even a
little soil, there was plant life. From
the small oasis Of life in the bleak
land. the expedition brought back
1900 collection numbers, with eco
logical observations. In addition,
400 tree and shrub sections were
made, 100 stems and roots gathered
for microscopic study, 500 rock and
soil specimens taken for analysis
and numerous Genealogical OBJ
servations were recorded. When
correlated, 1t Is hoped to find some
background on where and when
plant life begins under some of the
worlds most adverse living condi-
tinnk