BOTANICAL NOTES ON THE WAY TO DAWSON. iBi 



gle spike, also a Pedicularis. A few days later at Lake Lebarge a fine 

 Mertensia was in flower, and just below the lake a grass, Hierochloa, 

 and Oxytropis Lamberti were obtained. Near the mouth of Teslin 

 river I first noticed the paper birch, of any size, which becomes very 

 common lower down. Near Five-finger rapids a Cornus, probably 

 stolonifcra, was growing; also Arnica alpina or a very similar species. 

 We reached Fort Selkirk on the i8th. The river for some 40 or 50 

 miles above this place is wide and full of islands and bars, and con- 

 siderable care had to be used to avoid running aground. At Selkirk 

 we stopped for an hour or so, and among other things I noticed some 

 rather curiously decorated Indian graves, several good log houses and 

 a few grasshoppers. It is said that some of the hardier vegetables 

 can be raised here. Dropping below the post some ten or fifteen 

 miles, we camped for the night on one of the many islands. It was 

 well covered with spruce, growing up to 18 or 20 inches in diameter; 

 willows, Alnus and rose bushes, the last often 6 and 7 feet high. On 

 the fallen logs were numerous mosses, chiefly belonging to Dicranum; 

 these observations all being made just about midnight, at which time 

 there was sufficient light to distinguish the different species quite well, 

 even in the shade of the spruce. Three days later, on June 21, we 

 arrived safely in Dawson, and so ended, for the time at least, our trip 

 down the Yukon. Among other features, as was doubtless to be ex- 

 pected, the prevalence of the EricacecB and scarcity of Coviposit(B was 

 everywhere noticeable. All of the latter fainily, all I seem to have 

 observed, including the field about Dawson, may be counted on the 

 fingers of one hand, namely: Artemisia frigida^ Erigeron cojiipositns, 

 Arnica alpina, a Solidago and, probably, one aster. Of course, it 

 must be understood, I may have overlooked many species. 



Here at Dawson the town site itself proves to be most interesting 

 collecting ground, for it is little more than a swamp, with numerous 

 hummocks, small trees and brush, among which grow many mosses 

 and interesting higher plants as well. Of mosses of the unsettled 

 streets and avenues I have obtained three or four SpJiagmims, two or 

 three Mecsias, Catoscopiuni niglitnin, Myurella julacea, and just on the 

 oiitskirts, Paludella sqiiarrosa, all fruiting; also others belonging to 

 Aiilacomnium, Dicranum, Hypnum, etc. A Funaria occurs, perhaps 

 hygrometrica, but seems to be a very rare plant, and MarcJiantia 

 /f?/y/;zcr///^r is altogether wanting, I believe; nor have I observed it 

 anywhere on the trip, although I have collected a dozen or so of the 

 Hcpaticic. It is doubtless very unsafe to infer, however, that a species 

 does not occur because not observed in my hasty attempts at collect- 

 ing, and the region is certainly one that deserves a careful and pro- 

 longed research. 



Dawson, Yukon Terr. 



