also visited, and detailed work carried out at Cape Crozier and Mina Bluff. Mount Erebus was climbed and the crater examined in an important contribution to Antarctic volcanology. Mount Terror and Mount Discovery were also climbed and survey stations established.

By this work enough data were accumulated to produce a detailed topographic map of the McMurdo Sound area as a basis for future studies.

Extension of such mapping throughout the Ross Dependency by the co-operation of United States planes and New Zealand surveyors, appears to your representative to be the most profitable avenue to pursue in future planning of joint operations at international level.

A four-man expedition organised by the Geology Department, Victoria University of Wellington, authorised by the Minister for Scientific and Industrial Research on the committee's recommendation, was transported by U.S. helicopter from McMurdo air facility to the field for seven weeks, and was evacuated on January 30, 1959. It was financed by Victoria University and the University Research Grants Committee, with assistance by D.S.I.R. and N.Z. firms. It successfully mapped 1,000 square miles of this unique valley system geologically and topographically. The area is ice free, with lakes and a relatively warm climate.

In addition to gathering climatological data and many biological specimens, the expedition collected meteorological data and made gravity observations from the coast to within four miles of the Polar plateau.

Biologists from Scott Base worked at Black Island, Taylor Dry Valley, Cape Crozier, Cape Bird, Cape Royds, Beaufort Island and Tent Island. Penguin colonies on Ross and Beaufort Islands were inspected. Seals were studied in respect to pupping and population structure Observations on skuas were contributed to an international study. At the ice edge in McMurdo Sound, marine collections were made with fish traps and long lines in 35 to 240 fathoms. Observations were made on bird, whale, and seal distribution, between McMurdo Sound and New Zealand.

Oceanographic surveys between New Zealand and the Antarctic this season included the first systematic survey of the Ross Sea. The Antarctic Convergence was traversed eastwards from near Macquane Island to the pack ice north of the Ross Sea.

A complete C14 dating profile from surface to bottom across the convergence can now be constructed. In the Ross Sea 20 oceanographic stations were occupied along five lines, each comprising complete hydrology, bottom dredging, plankton trawls and bottom sediment cores. Four bottom dredge stations were occupied round Ross Island and one C14 sampling station in McMurdo Sound. A proton magnetometer installed on H.M.N.Z.S. Endeavour allowed a continuous total force magnetic survey to be earned out during Antarctic cruises this season.

In the scientific activities reported in the above paragraphs the following bodies participated: Dominion Museum (biology), Victoria University (as specified), Canterbury University (upper atmosphere), the Lands and Survey Department, and several D.S.I.R. units (N.Z. Geological Survey, Oceanographic Institute, Geophysics Division, Dominion Physical Laboratory).

The co-operative spirit of I.G.Y. is being maintained I.G.Y. was operated under the auspices of the International Council of Scientific Unions (I.C.S.U.), which early in 1958 set up the Special Committee on Antarctic Research (S.C.A.R.) to promote and co-ordinate international scientific collaboration in Antarctica. Membership is through the national adhering body to I.C.S.U., in New Zealand, the Royal Society of New Zealand. The Society designated the Ross Dependency Research Committee as the National Committee on Antarctic Research and appointed Dr. E. I. Robertson the New Zealand delegate to S.C.A.R. S.C.A.R. is more broadly based than its I.G.Y. counterpart, and is concerned with geology, cartography, biology and physiology, as well as geophysics.

S.C.A.R. first met at The Hague in February, 1958, when New Zealand was not represented; next at Moscow, in August, 1958, when Dr. Robertson attended; and lastly at Canberra, where Dr. Robertson and Dr. R. G. Simmers represented New Zealand.

Participation in S.C.A.R. has enabled New Zealand to make a significant contribution to international Antarctic research and to establish close personal contacts with leading scientists in other countries. Therefore the R.D.R.C. strongly favours continued support of S.C.A.R., which entails the payment of a subscription by the Royal Society of New Zealand.

New Zealand has fostered international co-operation in the Antarctic. Three American guest scientists are wintering over at Scott Base, and during the past season Russian scientists from Mirny spent several days at the base.

C. A. Fleming,