314 THORODDSEN 



Markhlidar 250 metres 



Burfell near Thjorsardal 300 



Skridufellsskogur 220 



Tungufellsskogur 260 



Haukadalsheidi 380 



Uthlidarhraun 320 



Laugardalsskogar 280 



Thingvallaskogar 200 



Botnsskogui 200 



Skorradalur 150 



Svinadalur 200 



Husafellsskogur 260 



Hvitarsida 300 



Although it is possible that birch coppices may be met with 

 in some places at a somewhat higher level yet the limits will 

 be approximately those given above. On the north-western pe- 

 ninsula, birch coppices occur mostly on the southern side at 

 the head of the valleys and fjords which extend upwards from 

 Breidifjordur and face the sun ; but the birch coppices extend hardly 

 anywhere higher than 200 300 metres, and usually occur at far 

 lower levels. There is also a good deal of birch coppice at the 

 branch-fjords of Arnarfjord, in Dyrafjord and at the southern fjords 

 of Isafjardardjup, especially at Hestfjordur. North of Isafjardardjup 

 I nowhere saw birch coppices proper, although a few individuals of 

 Betula odorata occur in some places in Adalvik; nor are birch cop- 

 pices known to occur on the east coast from Cape Nord to Stein- 

 grim sfjord. 



To the birch region belongs also Sorbus aucuparia which occurs 

 as scattered individuals both in the birch coppices and outside them; 

 I do not think the mountain ash extends so far up as does the 

 birch ; I did not observe it at higher altitudes than on Sluttnes in 

 Myvatn, 290 metres above sea-level. Betula nana occurs now and 

 then in birch woods, but grows most commonly on heather moors 

 and in bog-lands; it rarely forms coppices proper. It extends higher 

 on the mountains than Betula odorata; I found it, for instance, 

 in Sydri Pollar, 729 metres above sea-level. Jnniperus commnnis is 

 fairly common in birch coppices and on heather moors; the highest 

 altitude at which I found it was in Yxnadalur near Odadahraun, 

 488 metres above sea-level. The heather moor is closely associated 



