1004 



wild condition almost exclusively on the sea-fowl cliiTs; this is 

 »Kvan« — Archanqelica officinalis (see also p. 894). This large and 

 handsome umbclliferous plant is used as a vegetable and esteemed 

 a greal dainty by the Færoese, being cultivated in small gardens 

 (Kvan-yards) near their houses. In its wild form it is a character- 

 plant of the sea-fov\l cliffs. It may grow on the narrow lerraces, 

 but it thrives best on the »Ur« (talus) below the cliffs. 



It is really on the »Ur«, that we find the vegetation which is 

 most markedly influenced by the birds. A peculiarity of an »Ur« 

 situated beneath a sea-fowl clifT is, that in nearly every case it is 

 occupied as a nesting place by the pu^rm (Fratercula arcticaj, which 

 makes deep holes or burrows for its nest. A »Puffin Ur« is easily 

 recognised even from a distance, by its peculiar glaucous tint, 

 which stands out in sharp contrast to the fresh green of the gene- 

 ral vegetation. This colour is due to a particular form of Festuca 

 riihra, which grows in masses among the blocks of the »Ur« and 

 forms a grass-carpet, while its roots and rhizomes are closely inter- 

 woven into a firm turf. 



A description of the vegetation in an »Ur« on the east side of 

 Nolso has already been given (p. 980). Part of this same »Ur« was 

 inhabited by puffins, and liere the vegetation had quite a different 

 appearance. The dominant species was the glaucous form of Fes- 

 tuca riihra, with some Agrostis uulgaris, Riimex acetosa, Stellaria 

 media, Sagina procumhens, Cerastium oulgare, C. tetrandum and 

 Montia lamprospernm. These are almost all species which occur 

 again as a part of the weed-vegetation to be considered later, and 

 their presence in the »Ur« can be explained by similarity of con- 

 ditions arising from a heavily manured soil. The »Ur«, as already 

 described, is the habitat of a large number of mosses, which grow 

 luxuriantly among the fallen rocks. In the case of the Puffin-Ur, 

 mosses are comparatively scarce and to some extent the species are 

 ditferent. Some moss samples which I brought away from the 

 Puffin-Ur at Nolso were submitted to C. Jensen, who identified the 

 following: Hypnum Stockesii, H. sericeum, Isothecium myosuroides, 

 Weissia maritima. Grimmia apocarpa, Porella rivnlaris, Lophocolea 

 cuspidata and Stereodon resnpinatnm (compare with list of mosses 

 (p. 980). 



Traces of the influence of birds upon vegetation were found 

 on a mountain-terrace above the Puffin-Ur just described. Here 

 (about 200 m. above sea-level), we found several large specimens of 



