204 



THORODDSEN 



the eastern side the snow-line stands at a height of 400 metres 

 ahove sea-level, on the western side at an altitude of 650 metres. 

 Upon the plateau itself, around the base of Drangajokull, there are 

 numerous large, scattered wreaths of snow which taken collectively 

 would cover a large 'area; they occur at an altitude of 250500 

 metres. In the summer of 1886 87 there occurred, in addition, 

 numerous wreaths at a lower level in sheltered places even close 

 to the sea-shore, especially at Snaefjallastrond, where very long snow- 

 drifts were lying on the terraces of the basalt beds. In these districts 

 old banks of snow are usually very frequent at a height of 50- 

 100 metres above sea-level; the climate also is very raw and the 

 precipitation considerable; there are occasional snow-storms in the 

 middle of summer, and drift-ice with cold, damp fogs and drizzling 

 rain is a frequent visitor. The sea cuts into the land from all sides. 

 Above the snow-line proper there is naturally no vegetation, 

 with the exception of a few individuals which maintain their ex- 

 istence on projecting rocks and "Nunataks" in the ice. In the region 

 of permanent snow-drifts there occurs, only here and there, a poor 

 and very scattered rocky-flat vegetation, but in the zone of the 

 variable snow-drifts there may often be a vegetation of different 

 species w^hich is rather luxuriant, considering all things. According 

 to my measurements in the years 1882 1898 the snow-limits were 

 about as follows (the snow-limits given in the table on p. 203 may 

 serve for comparison): 



