THE 



CANADIAN 



MTUEALIST AND GEOLOGIST. 



Vol. VIL APRIL, 1862. No. 2. 



ARTICLE Yl.— Notes on the Flora of the White Mountains, 

 in its Geographical and Geological relations. By J. W. 

 Dawsok, LL.D., F.G.S. 



(Read before the Montreal History Society.) 



The group of the White Mountains is the culminating point of 

 the northern division of the great Appalachian range, extending 

 from Tennessee to Gaspe in a south-west and north-east direc- 

 tion, and constituting the breast-bone of the North American con- 

 tinent. This great ridge or succession of ridges has its highest 

 peaks near its southern extremity, in the Black Mountains ; but 

 these are little higher than their northern rivals, which at least 

 hold the undisputed distinction of being the highest hills in north- 

 eastern America. As Guyot* has well remarked, the White 

 Mountains do not occur in the general line of the chain, but rather 

 on its eastern side. The central point of the range, represented by 

 the Green Mountains and their continuation, describes a great curve 

 from Gaspe to the valley of the Hudson, and opposite the middle 

 of the concave side of this curved line toweis the almost isolated 

 group of the White Hills. On the other side is the narrow val- 

 ley of Lake Champlain, and beyond this the great isolated mass 

 of the Adirondack Mountains, nearly approaching in the altitude 

 of their highest peaks, and greatly exceeding in their geological 



* Silliman's Journal. 

 Can. Nat. 6 Vol. VII 



