172 Natural History Tour in Norway. 



alpine plain, covered in many places with snow, and ex- 

 ceedingly rich in botanical treasures. At its highest elevation 

 we fotindyRanunculus glacialis and pygmae^us, Saxifraga rivu- 

 laris, Z/ychnis alpina and dioica, Salix herbacea var. polaris, 

 and Pedicularis lapponica. Somewhat lower, on the verge of 

 the snow, grew Eriophorum capitatum, ZSrigeroii ?, Woodsz'tf 

 hyperborea : and lower down, Saxifraga cernua, petrse^a, ?#us- 

 coides; jRanunculus hyperboreus, and Hierochloe borealis. 

 In the alpine valley of Bererdal, Gentidna nivalis was very 

 abundant, as also Pyrola rotundifolia and chlorantha, As- 

 tragalus alpinus, several species of Potentilla, and Androsace 

 septentrionalis. 



The vegetation gradually changed character as we de- 

 scended on the beautiful lake of Lome; and we were sur- 

 prised to find jLychnis alpina growing on the margin of 

 cultivated places, at an inconsiderable height above that 

 lake, along with. a variety of Primula farinosa, approaching 

 P. stricta. We now directed our walk towards Guldbrandsdale ; 

 and our gradual departure from the mountains was marked 

 by the successive appearance of Thalictrum simplex, Draco- 

 cephalum Ruyschidna, and Polemonium caeruleum. The 

 snow-capped mountains of Lorn-field were gradually con- 

 cealed by the lower but nearer pine-covered hills that border 

 the rich and beautiful valley of Guldbrandsdalen, into which 

 we entered by that of Hedal, having taken a two days' walk 

 across the country by the compass; a mode of travelling, 

 without a guide as we were, by no means free from difficulties. 

 We entered the great road from Drontheim to Christiania, 

 near Froen, and proceeded southwards until we reached Zelle- 

 hummer, at the head of the Miosen-see. On our way from 

 Froen to Zellehummer, we saw the grave of the Scottish 

 captain, Sinclair : near it grew the Tamarix germanica. 



Zellehummer is a small but flourishing village, deriving 

 its prosperity from its position at the head of the largest 

 lake in Norway, thus forming a convenient market for the 

 interior districts. It is situated in a trap country ; the rock 

 in its immediate vicinity is a primitive greenstone; about 10 

 miles from it, on the east side of the lake, this is succeeded 

 by a wackaceous conglomerate, the composite masses of 

 which are of very large size. 



From the trap country we passed into that great tract of 

 limestone (transition) which forms the fertile province of 

 Hedemarcken. This limestone is of a dark bluish grey 

 colour ; brittle, not crystalline ; where in contact with the 

 trap, much indurated ; and every where scant in fossil remains. 

 A few belemnites were all I could obtain. Campanula persi- 



