892 



quently find monld and grass on Ihe more elevated parts, with a 

 sedge-vegetalion on Ihc pealy soil of the depressions; Ihe iormer 

 as it were on the crest ol" a wave, the latter in the tiough^ 



The soil of the Færoes in relation to the vegetation may be 

 classified as follow^s: 



game 



Mineral soils Soils with much or 



1. soHd rock "^^tt^^ 



2. gravel and sand (sea-sand, 4. peaty soil 



calcareous sand) 5. mould. 



3. fine soil. 



3. The influence of man and animals on the vegetation. 



a. Man. The Færoes have been inhabited for about ten cen- 

 turies by a race engaged mainly in the rearing of domestic animals 

 and to a less extent in cultivating the soil. It is therefore only 

 natural, tiiat this occupation by man has influenced the vegetation 

 by altering or modifying its composition. It has already been stated 

 by E. Warming (1903, p. 680) and myself (Ostenfeld 1901 c, p. 118), 

 that a number of the piants of the Færoese flora have immigratcd 

 through the aid of man 2. This has certainly played, and still 

 plays an important part in the vegetation of northern countries, 

 where in former times the Norsemen settled as colonists, for example 

 in Iceland and the southern part of Greenland. It is also probable 

 that the presence of several European species (e. g. Calliina) in 

 Newfoundland and adjoining lands, is due to the roving propensi- 

 ties of these ancient Norsemen. It is not my intention to enter 

 further into this matter here, but to confine myself to the influence 

 of man upon the vegetation as it exists at the present time. 



On the Færoes the only vegetation entirely produced and main- 

 tained by human action is that limitcd to the small areas on which 

 barley and potatoes are cultivated and to numerous small gardens 



^ Earthworms, so characteristic of mould-formation. also occur on the P"æ- 

 roes. Several of the lesser species of the genus Lambriciis appear to he common. 

 According to the Identification of the Zoologicai Museum of Copenhagen, my col- 

 lections include no less than 4 species (L. tnrgidus, piirpiireus, Boeckii and siib- 

 nibiciindus). 



■^ Professor W. says (1. c, p. 680): Ostenfeld mentions it, but very briefly (p. 117), 

 as follows: »Further. . . man has doubtless introduced and keeps on introducing 

 new species« ; but he appears to have overlooked my further reference to the 

 question on the page which follows. 



