Glaciological studies were an important feature of the Baffin Island Expedition, 1950 of the Arctic Institute of North America. A particular study was made of the Barnes Ice Cap,Footnote * situated about latitude 70° N., inland from Clyde Post. The ice cap, first sighted from a distance during J. M. Wordie’s expedition to Melville Bay and North-East Baffin Land in 1934, was occupied from 27 May to 29 September 1950.

The ice cap party consisted of:

• P. D. Baird, who, in addition to his task as leader of the whole expedition numbering twenty persons, spent most of his time on the ice cap.

• W. H. Ward, who was generally responsible for the glaciological work on the ice cap.

• S. Orvig, meteorologist.

• J. D. C. Waller, mechanical engineer assistant.

• C. A. Littlewood, gravimetrist.

In addition, R. P. Goldthwait spent some five weeks studying the geomorphology around the ice cap and gave the glaciologists valuable assistance. Several other members of the expedition came to help for short periods.

The party depended almost exclusively for distant transport on the willing service of the late J. M. King, pilot of the Arctic Institute’s Norseman aircraft working first on ski-wheels and later in the season on floats.

The glaciological work is to be described in a series of articles in this Journal ; the first two (Parts I and II) appear below.