1893.] NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 205 



A CONTRIBUTION TO THE FLORA OF GREENLAND. 

 BY WILLIAM E. MEEHAN. 



Early in 1891 the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 

 endorsed Lieutenant Peary's proposition to explore Northern Green- 

 land, and organized the West Greenland Expedition under the 

 leadership of Professor Angelo Heilprin, to take the explorer and 

 his party to the spot chosen for their winter quarters. Dr. William 

 H. Burk, one of the Associate Editors of the Public Ledger was 

 appointed botanist of the escorting party. 



The two expeditions left Brooklyn on June 6th, 1891, in the steam 

 whaler " Kite " and reached McCormick Bay, in latitude 77° 43' 

 about the 29th of July. Here Mr. Peary and his party were left in a 

 comfortable frame structure which was erected on landing and which 

 is known in the annals of the expedition as the " Red Cliff House." 



The plants collected by Dr. Burk had barely been determined at 

 the Academy when there were indications that another expedition 

 might be sent to the same region, and it was thereupon decided not 

 to list the plants till the second collection should have been made. 



Lieutenant Peary had made his own arrangements to return and 

 events showed that he might, perhaps, have been able to carry out 

 his plans ; but the rumors of possible disaster led to a search expedi- 

 tion. This was also placed in charge of Professor Angelo Heilprin, 

 who had before demonstrated his capabilities for that position, and 

 the writer, like Dr. Burk, a member of the editorial staff of the 

 Public Ledger, was accepted as Botanist. 



The "Kite" was again chartered for the expedition that left St. 

 Johns, Newfoundland, on the afternoon of July 5th, 1892. It reached 

 the Island of Disco on the evening of July 14th and anchored before 

 the settlement of Godhavn, the capital of the Northern Inspectorate 

 of South Greenland, where the party remained until the evening of 

 the 16th. 



Collections of plants were made by the writer here, and subse- 

 quently at the following points farther north and south ; Upernavik, 

 Cape York, Wostenholm Island, McCormick Bay, about the 

 abandoned Etah Eskimos settlement near Littleton Island, Sontag 

 Bay, Robertsons Bay, Nunatak in the Verhceff Glacier, the borders 

 of Inglefield Gulf, table land of Greenland near McCormick 



