88 ON THE FLORA. OF GREENLAND AND ARCTIC AMERICA. 



Lecidea lapicida, Fries. Port Kennedy. 



rupestris, Ach. Port Kennedy. 



globifera, Ach. Port Kennedy. 



petrsea, Ach. Port Kennedy. 



■ geographica, Ach. Port Kennedy and Cape Osborne. 



alpicola, Wahl. Port Kennedy. Universal. 



Urceolaria seruposa, Ach. Port Kennedy. 



I append a resume of the important observations made by Dr. 

 "Walker on the temperature of the air and earth, and the average 

 covering of snow ; and, to render them more complete, I have 

 extracted and meaned the monthly temperatures of Boothia of from 

 three to four years' observations, published in Sir John Boss's 

 'Voyage. ' The observations of these officers correspond to a remark- 

 able degree, the approximate mean annual temperature, according 

 to Boss, being + 2 0- 5, and by Walker (interpolating August as 28°) 

 + 1°0. The high mean temperature of the soil at 2 feet 2 inches 

 depth is very remarkable, and that of the surface of the earth 

 below the snow, which depends much on the temperature of the 

 subsoil, and is of great influence upon the vegetation, is still more 

 remarkable. 



Observations at Port Kennedy on the Temperature of the Soil, 8[c. 



By Dr. "Walker. 



On the 14th September, 1858, so soon as it appeared probable 

 that we should winter at Bort Kennedy, I sunk a brass tube 



2 feet 2 inches vertically in the ground, and inserted a padded ther- 

 mometer. The ground at the time of sinking the tube was frozen 



from 6 inches below the surface, and it was with great difficulty 

 that I could get the tube sufficiently far down. The soil (surface) 

 was similar to that strewn over the land, but from below 6 inches 

 it was of a yellowish mud. The thermometer used was one of very 

 small bore, with a long stem finely graduated (it had been prepared 

 for taking the temperature of trees) . 



Brom the 18th to 29th September, no register was made, as the 

 ship was not in port ; also from the 10th to the 28th March, 1859, 

 as I was absent from the ship, travelling. The minimum tempera- 

 ture registered was +05, on March 10th, 1859 ; the lowest may 

 be assumed at zero, on the 16th March. The register was conti- 

 nued until June 18, when water entered the tube and the thermo- 

 meter was frozen to the side, so that it could not be detached. 



Column 2 gives the register of the thermometer. Column 



3 gives the depth of the overlying snow, which was always 



