SPHAGNUM BOGS OF ALASKA 175 



SNUG HARBOR, KNIGHT ISLAND, MAY 29 



Several small sphagnum bogs were found in a tundra occupying 

 a somewhat level area on the mountain side. The bogs were con- 

 fined to undrained places and were characterised by Sphagnum, 

 Empetrum nigrum, and Kalmia glauca. Harrimanella stelleriana 

 occurred along the borders of the bogs but not in them. 



THREE SAINTS BAY, KODIAK ISLAND, JUNE 21 



On the flat area just north of the sand spit on the east side of 

 the bay there are numerous small sphagnum bogs varying in area 

 from a few square rods to three or four acres. The covering of 

 sphagnum is in many places so thin that I could feel the rocks 

 beneath as I walked over it. In the middle of the larger bogs, 

 however, the sphagnum and the underlying peat reached a depth 

 of 2^ to 3 feet. These bogs occur wherever there is no drainage, 

 the portions of the rocks that are steep enough to have good 

 drainage, being covered with a thick carpet of mosses other than 

 sphagnum, beneath which is humus formed by earlier vegetation. 



On this occur in profusion the flowers of the region — a Viola, 

 a Geranium, an Anemone, a Castilleja, and others, but they do 

 not extend into the bogs. Veratrum viride is also common in 

 the humus of the region down to the edges of the bog, but it does 

 not extend into them. Heller, in speaking of the bogs of Prince 

 William Sound says that Veratrum viride is found about bogs. 

 The writer has not found this species about Puget Sound bogs. 

 It is, however, common on Mt. Rainier. Alnus sinuata also occurs 

 along the borders of the bogs but not in them. Betula papyrifera 

 alaskana reaches a height of 15 feet, and a diameter of 8 inches 

 along the borders of some of these bogs, but in the bogs it is repre- 

 sented by a very few stunted sprawling specimens reaching a 

 height of only 4 or 5 feet, and a diameter of only 2 or 2| inches. 

 There is also a prostrate Betula in the bogs, but it is evidently a 

 different species. Trientalis arctica is found on the border of this 

 bog, as it is in some Puget Sound bogs. 



The following is a list of the plants that are most characteristic 

 of these bogs: 



