Ancient Antarctica

Abstract

PROF. H. F. OSBORN has said that the demonstration of “the former existence of an Antarctic continent is one of the greatest triumphs of modern science.” But even if this be true, everyone must allow that it occurred a very long time ago. This is proved by the great differences that exist between the floras and faunas of the three great southern continents. These differences are much greater than those between the floras and faunas of North America and Eurasia, and consequently the land connections must have been broken up in the south long before they were in the north. We infer the former existence of an Antarctic continent from the existence of granite and foliated schists in South Victoria Land, and evidence that it was formerly connected with northern lands is found in the existence of flightless insects living there in the few patches of mosses and lichens which manage to struggle through the winter. These insects are not flightless through degeneration, but belong to an order which never possessed wings. It is very improbable that the ancestors of these minute insects were carried or blown to where they are now found; they must have travelled to their present positions by land. That is, the Antarctic continent south of New Zealand and Patagonia must, at some time or other, have joined on to northern lands.