388 MR. M. P. PRICE ON THE VEGETATION OF 
Spruce and Pine, and everywhere the sub-aretie flora of northern Siberia 
with Sphagnum and Vaccinium association was dominant. Progress in this 
forest from the traveller’s point of view was difficult and dangerous. 
On the slopes of the valleys with southern aspects the forests of Abies 
sibirica and Pinus sibirica appeared to be weaker in growth and were possibly 
diminishing in area, for considerable forest fires had taken place here in 
recent years. Where the fires had occurred I saw indications of dry steppe- 
like flora, containing many types of Graminez accompanied by Aspen, Poplar, 
and Birch, creeping in and competing with the Vaccinium association. In 
addition to this there were certain places where the swamps appeared to be 
ina state of partial desiccation with evidences of former mossy hummocks, 
now dry and covered with grasses and species from the steppes further to 
the north. 
The second series of observations were made after entering the Upper 
Yenisei plateau by a low neck between two disconnected ridges of the 
Sayansk system. We descended the valley to the Sisti Kem for some dis- 
tance, but before its junction with the Bei Kem, turned east through the 
Larch forests and followed up a side stream, called by the natives the 
“арза,” to its source in another isolated uplift called the Таѕ ке) mountains. 
Crossing from here to the watershed of the Shabash River, we followed this 
down to its junction with the Kamsara River and finally reached the Upper 
Bei Kem. A further expedition was made towards the head-waters of the 
Bei Kem in the neighbourhood of Lake Todju Kul, after which a long 
journey was made in a raft down the Bei Kem, past a series of rapids into 
the steppes of the Ulu Kem and the Kemehik. 
In the upper regions of the Sisti Kem and Shabash Rivers, the valley 
bottoms of which average about 3000 feet in altitude, we found forests of 
Pinus sibirica accompanied by sub-arctic flora, indicating cold conditions in 
winter and a considerable rainfall in summer. This forest and association 
also covered the mountains of the Tashkel. In the lower reaches, averaging 
2000 feet in altitude, the forest consisted of Larie sibirica scattered in park- 
like glades with natural meadows. The flora associated with this was of a 
distinet type and might be called the ** Siberian Larch-Forest Association.” 
In the Larch forest on the Japsa River I found Gentiana verna var. angu- 
losa, Vaccinium Vitis- Idea, Spiræa sp., Potentilla fruticosa, and Frythronium 
Dens-canis. 
On approaching the Tashkel mountains, forests of Pinus sibirica and Abies 
sibirica began to appear on the valley bottoms and reached up to the sides of 
the mountains to 5000 feet. The ground flora here consisted of Betula nana, 
Vaccinium Vitis-Idwa, Rhodedendron chrysanthum, Viola biflora. In swampy 
areas there were large beds of Primula nivalis and of Trollius asiaticus and 
[Iuphorbia lutescens. There appeared to be а succession of floral types on 
these Alpine meadows which changed as the summer advanced. Thus 
