Bulletin - United States National Museum

The base of the nest is built to a considerable height, sometimes as much as two meters, and is composed of mud, droppings and decaying plant matter. Another specimen, about eight or ten inches long, shows the same yellowish color of the sac, suddenly expressed against the blackness of the throat; but the eyelids are completely dark.

10 NATURAL HISTORY OP KERGUELEN ISLAND The measurements are as follows

11 The young, a few days old, has a black bill with a yellow tip. Deep marks show different shades of bluish slate color, according to the thickness of the overlying deposit.

12 NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

When disturbed, they are soon surrounded by a puddle of vomited matter, and in this state are by no means pleasant birds to collect. Near the entrance of the den there is always, as long as observed, a small pool of fresh water.

14 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

OOLOGY. 15

OOLOGY

20 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

EANUNOULACE^

CEUCIFEE^

22 NATUEAL HISTOEY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

OARYOPHYLLB^

POETULACE^

BOTANY. 23

YI.— HALOEAGE^

YII.— CRASSULACE^

24 NATURAL HISTOEY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

JIUBIACE^

COMPOSITE

GEAMINEiE

BOTANY. 25

B— MUSCI

BOTANY. 27

C— LICHENES.*

BOTANY. 29

30 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

D'Urvill^a Harveyi, Hoolc

Sphacelaria punicularis, Mont, f — Quite a number of speci-

Ehodomela Gaimardi, Mont — A single specimen of this species

Ehody'Menia palmata, Grev

CROZET FLORA. 31

Callophyllis vaeiegata, Ag

CROZET FLORA

Galium antarcticum

Leptinella plumosa

A moss believed to be Andre^a marginata

GEOLOGY

34 NATURAL HISTORY OF KEEGUELEN ISLAND

GEOLOGY. 35

GEOLOGY. 37 Followiag is the monthly summary oi the meteorological observa-

MAMMALS. -

MAMMALS. 39 In former years the Kerguelen group of islands was noted as a

MAMMALS FISH. 41

FISH

MOLLUSKS

CEPHALOPODA

GASTEROPODA

RISSOIDJE

MOLLUSKS. 43

MURICIDJE

PATELLID^

CHITONID^

MOLLUSKS. 45

SIPHONARIID^

ACEPHALA

LASEID^

EEPTONID^

MODIOLARCID^

MOLLUSKS. 47

MYTILID^

MOLLUSCOIDA

INSECTS

COLEOPTERA

LEPIDOPTEEA

DIPTEEA

52 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

Fore Wingsshorterthan theabdomen, Threetimes Longthan wide, rounded at tips, anterior margin very strong, posteriornearly straight; Base of wing alittlenarrower than tip, rounded posteriorly. The entire margin around the wing is bordered by a stout, thick vein bya with dark streaks or dark tubercles; and in larger intervals with longer stiffnesses, located in holes, mainly in veins,. The superior branch provides the anteripal half of the wing; Ifurcated very quickly again, both branches runningParallelandunting in the middle of the length of the arm with an oblique vein.

From the upper end of this oblique vein a short branch runs straight to the anterior edge of the wing, and two longer ones to its rounded apex, the inferior of them again furrowed round the middle; from the lower end of the oblique vein runs a branch, furrowed halfway to the lower part of the tip of the wing; the inferior branch of the last two is in the other wing furrowed again a short distance from the edge.

54 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

In the Kerguelen specimen, the shortness of the wings (the forewings are shorter than the body), and the reticulation, which is not identical in both wings, indicates an interrupted condition. Within the section of Psocidm with ocelli (I have stated that I believe the Kerguelen specimen is without ocelli) two genera have legs with 3-jointed tarsi. But in both {Myopsocus and Elipsocus) the second joint is much shorter than the third, and the antennae are only connected. The tarsi are of the same shape, also the palpi; the antenuEe are equally many-articulated, but Psoquilla possesses no hindwings, and it is hardly related.

It is now certain that no more than ten percent of the species living in North America are known, probably much less.

56 NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

CRUSTACEANS. 57

CRUSTACEANS

DECAPODA

PINNOTHERIDJ^]

AMPHIPODA

CRUSTACEANS. 59

LYSIANASSID^

60 NATURAL HISTOEY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

CEUSTACEANS. 61

GAMMAEIDJE

CRUSTACEANS. 63

ISOPODA

ASELLID^

SPH^ROMID^

64 NATURAL HISTOEY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

ANNELIDS AND ECHINODERMS

Further back, the shape of the appendages gradually changes, mainly because all the lobes become more elongated and acute. Towards the back of the body, the upper ramus is more elongated than the lower, with a narrow, elongated upper ligula with the elongated and slender dorsal cirrus arising from a distinct ridge on the middle of the upper margin, and which is more than half its length extends beyond the ligula; and the lower lobe is also elongated, lanceolate, obtuse, with a shorter, sharp, sixty-shaped lobe arising from its upper end. The lower mus consists of two lanceolate lobes, of which the upper or equal one is about as long as the sixty lobe of the upper ramus, while the lower one is slightly shorter.

Sicily, by Malmgren, but he states that he had seen only one mutilated specimen, and owing to this fact, doubtless, he gave one of the characters of the genus the existence of fascicles of setaeon all.

66 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

The upper lip is broad, somewhat domed and produced forward; viewed from the front, it forms about two-thirds of a circle. An allied species has been described from the Falkland Islands by Dr.W.Baird as Terebellabilineata, but states that it consists of 36 segments, with fascicles of setae which extend to the posterior end; but it is quite probable that his specimen had lost the posterior segment, and it really belongs to Neottis, with which it agrees in the character of the branches. The tubes of a species of Spirorbis, having three or four rather slender whorls, either twisted nearly in a plane, or with the part near the opening turned upwards, smooth or with slight transverse wrinkles, were found attached to tubes of the preceding species and on algae.

68 • NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

ECIIINODERMATA

HOLOTHUEIOIDEA

ECHINOIDEA

ECHI NODE RMS. 71 The specimens of this species described as females have some resem-

ASTERIOIDEA

72 NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

OPHIUEOIDEA

ECHINODERMS. 7S

ECHINODEKMS. 75

ANTHOZOA

ALCYONARIA

ANTHOZOA. 77

APPENDIX

SURGEON E. KERSHNER'S COLLECTION

MINERALS

MISCELLANEOUS

APPENDIX. 81

HYDEOIDEA

APPENDIX. 83 land coast by the species Bolteni, the stems of which are the favorite

A STUDY OF CHIONIS MINOR WITH REFERENCE TO ITS STRUC- TURE AND SYSTEMATIC POSITION

HISTOEY

CHIONIS MINOR 87 The three specimens then kuowu to De Bhiinville were, first, a

88 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEIT ISLAND

Alfred ISTewton said: '^No egg of either species of this genus had been known before, and this confirms, from its appearance, the systematic position of the form shown by steology, its affinity, namely, with the dung. , and we do not find that any attempt was made either to verify or refute DeBlainville's conclusions, other than by inspection of external characters, beyond Mr. Authors who have differed from De Blainville respecting the systematic position of the genus, have simply decided where they pleased, apparently without giving reason. the faith that was in them.

Several specimens were preserved in alcohol, many skins were secured, and during a four-month stay on the island, Dr.

CHIONIS MINOR. 91 DESCRIPTION

DISSECTION

MUSCLES OF THE UPPER EXTREMITY

93lower border and about half of the lateral surface of the carina; and the lower border and about half of the lateral surface of the carina; and from the posterior and outer third of the body of the sternum, which inserts by a broad fiat tendon into the palmar margin of the pectoral crest of the humerus. The second pectoral arises from the sternoclavicular membrane, from the angle between the body and keel of the sternum to within 0.25 inch of its posterior end, and from the entire body not occupied by the fused segments of the pectoralis major muscle. It is inserted by a very long cylindrical tendon, which slides through the tendon sheath, arising from the neighborhood of the coraco-clavicular joint, at the angle of their junction, into the radial tubercle of the humerus, 0.50 inch below its articular surface.

Third pectoral {'-''pectoralis minimus''' Coues*) arises fleshy, pyram-. ideally, from outer border near superior external angle of sternum and from the adjacent edges of sternum and coracoid, for about one third of their length, to be inserted by a round tendon directly into the inner border of humerus, near its head.

MUSCLES OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY

95 The elevation and expansion of the conjoined tendon, just above the posterior part of the tibio-tarsal-joiut, is very marked, adding much to the muscular power. On removal of the sternum and scapular girdle, the ribs being cut through at a short distance from the sternal edge, only the trachea, pericardium and liver became visible, covering the rest of the viscera. They are arranged in a zone of unequal width around the proventricular opening of the stomach, and extend much further upwards anteriorly than posteriorly, where the mucosa of the proventriculus rapidly becomes reticulated.

From the center of this sulcus passes the muscular fascicle of the aston upwards, diverging as it ascends so as to cover the posterior surface of the stomach and its sides over the lateral tendinous centers.

96 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

The above is in fact not homologous, because the main principle is in fact not homologous. A clear thickening of the isthmus, at the top of the liver, indicates the third lobe.

SKELETON

98 . NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

CHIONIS MINOR. 99

100 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

Approximately in the middle of the mandible this lamella is incomplete and approximately in the middle of the mandible a lamella remains, this lamella is incomplete and one remains. The eudimentary ribs are clearly visible on the last five cervical vertebrae, as hollow projections directed downward and backward from the tips of the transverse processes. Each rib articulates both with the body and with the transverse process of its vertebra, leaving a space between its tubercle and head, which completes a morphological continuation of the vertebral foramina.

From the third to the eighth inclusive, the vertebrae show very prominent lamellar neural spines, forming, at their apposition to the end, a continuous thin perpendicular spine, which projects beyond the back of the bird.

102 NATUEAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND,

Articulating surface for coracoid extends from external and . posterior margin of manubrial process, almost meets its fellow above. it backwards and outwards, to angular prominences on the ridges which limit sterno-coracoid articulation. 80 inches from the manubric process. There is thus on either side a triangular space, defined anteriorly by the ridge limiting sterno-coracoid articulation, its base occupied by a grooved facet for coracoid, and these are two other sides bounded by the horizontal and lateral margins of the cost process is formed. It ends almost to the lateral edge of the sternum, which is an attenuated ridge, bearing facets for the articulations of ribs on its flattened broad edge, and passes upwards to join almost at a right angle along the costal process.

The posterior border is deeply incised on either side by two notches, the inner measuring 0.40 and the outer 0.45 in depth, measured from the curved margin indicated by the extremities of the intervening bony strips (hyposternal elements of Owen).

104 NATUKAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

It runs backward, with a slight downward slope, and its apex is directly below the manubrium sterni and is far from the apex of the sternal keel. It is characterized by numerous deep grooves and depressions for muscle attachments and a very prominent ridge along its dorsal surface to which the tendons of the pectoralis major and minor, latissimus dorsi, and scapular muscles are attached. Just below the carpal joint there arises from the radial side of the carpus a prominent button-shaped exostosis, 0.30 and 0.20 inches wide at the base, growing perpendicular to the axis of the bone.

On its ulnar side is attached at each end, the metacarpal bone of the fourth finger, which acts as a dividing bone, being quite distinct except at its extremities.

CHIONIS MINOR. 107

HABITS, GENERAL APPEARANCE IN LIFE, AND EXTERNAL CHARACTERS

CHIONIS MINOR. 109

MUSCULAR AND DIGESTIVE SYSTEMS

OSSEOUS SYSTEM

112 NATURAL HISTORY OF KEEGUELEN ISLAND

On the other hand, every important feature of the skull is identical to the features represented by the skull of seagulls. After careful comparison, it is apparent that the main difference that can be detected between the two skulls is the greater divergence of the pterygoids from each other and the consequent more posterior position of the palato-pterygoid articulation in the Chionis skull. Mtzsch, first considering the terylosis itself, and Huxley later, considering the skeleton, proved everything. But in Chionis we lack precisely those characters relied upon to distinguish the plovers from the gulls, namely, the extensive bare space above the suff'ragoi in relation to the pterylosis, and the presence of distinct basi-pterygoid processes in relation to the osteology.

Moreover, Pomeranians have not the large crest of the skull so conspicuous in Laridce and C/wom's, their rostrum is thin and elongated, their maxillo-palatines are never swollen or spongy (as in Chionis), and the angles of their mandibles are produced in slender curved processes.

114 NATURAL HISTORY OF KERGUELEN ISLAND

115 Distinctive characteristics, reaching almost to anomalies, for such distinctive characteristics, reaching almost to anomalies, consistently for us to have a super-family value; equivalent in taxo-nomic importance to those above which the groups which Professor Huxleyhas characterized by the termination '•' -morphm ''^ are rare. Much of the discussion that (jmonis has caused hasgrownout of the tacit assumption that it was merely a genus family, which must go somewhere-pre-founded; degree.

CHIONOMORPH^

INDEX

122 INDEX