958 



still continuing; also abundance of Sphagnum. The dry healh has 

 a httle Grimmia, Dicranum and Hijlocomia, a small amount of 

 Empetrum is also present. Cladonia rangi ferina also seen, and 

 amongst other secondary species Luzula multiflora, Carex bineruis 

 and Anthoxantlmm. Euphrasia spp. were not seen at all in this 

 heath, neither Erica cinerea nor Vaccinia.« 



It is hardly possible to account satisfactorily for the difference 

 between the heath of Shetland, western Norway and Scotlanci on 

 the one band, and the heath (heather-moor) of the Færoes on the 

 olher. The Færoese cliniate is certainly of a more pronounced 

 insular character than that of the other countries named, yet the 

 difference is small. It is possible that the geological substratum is 

 the more important factor. This is basalt in the Færoes, whereas 

 it is made up of primitive rocks in western Norway, Shetland and, 

 to some extent also in Scotland (cfr. the papers by R. Smith, W. 

 G. Smith and Lewis, quoted on p. 935). Tliis in itself, however, 

 is not decisive, for we learn that in basaltic tracts in South-Iceland 

 there is a well-developed Calluna heath (cIt. Ostenfeld 1899, pp. 

 247—249, and Jonsson 1905, p. 43); but here the climate is less 

 insular, and the winter, at least, is much more rigorous than on 

 the Færoes. It may also be pointed out, that the rainy climate 

 and the character of soil give rise to a very large degree of mois- 

 ture in the air and in the substratum respectively, and this no doubt 

 helps in the production of the variegatcd and mixed character of 

 the Færoese heather-moor. 



The appearance and distribution of heather-moor on the Færoes 

 convey the impression tliat it is a formation not quite at home 

 there, hence it picks and chooses its stations. Its requirements are 

 a rather dry substratum with sunshine, both of which are rare on 

 the F'æroes. It occurs principally in the southern, lower parts of 

 the larger islands (Ostero and Stromo) and again in the region be- 

 tween Sand and Skopen on Sando. Smaller patches also appear on 

 most of the islands, wherever the valleys are broad enough to allow 

 free access of sunshine to fairly dry slopes with a southerly expo- 

 sure. Very little heath is present on Sydero, the only moderately 

 lypical heath I saw was in the Trangisvaag-valley. 



On Fuglo I did not see any heather-moor at all; only a few 

 bushcs of Calluna on some rocky ledges, and no trace of Erica. 

 C. Jensen mentions (1897, p. 182 and p. 190), that he saw no 



