114 JOURNAL OF THE ARNOLD ARBORETUM [vol. v 



St. Andrew's Cross (Ascyrum hypericoides) and the St. John's-wort re- 

 ferred to above. But there are a number of conspicuous flowering herbs, 

 including Viola pedata L., Kneiffia linifolia Spach, and at a later season 

 various species of Aster, Solidago and Lespedeza. 



At the summit of the mountain, in a number of places, great masses 

 of the heavily bedded hard sandstone stand out, tilted at high angles or 

 sometimes almost perpendicular. The northern Red Oak (Quercus borealis 

 var. maxima) grows frequently about these rocky ledges and on the steeper 

 slopes near the top of the mountain. The Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) 

 also occasionally occurs here, but is nowhere frequent. Wild animal life, 

 formerly without doubt very abundant, seems singularly scarce, consider- 

 ing the apparently favorable environment. Besides insects, only a few 

 lizards and snakes and a surprisingly small number of birds were seen. 

 Amongst the last was a single wild turkey flushed from a thicket near 

 the top towards the western end of the mountain. 



In approaching the north side of Rich Mountain in the lower part of 

 the valley, below the village of Page, which was the point from which 

 most of our exploring trips started, a mile or two of comparatively level 

 but broken ground must be traveled before the real climb begins. The 

 surface here is rocky, much of it covered with loose rubble and cut up with 

 small ravines. As it is also covered for the most part with a dense growth 

 of small trees, shrubs and tangled vines, traveling, in the absence of a 

 road or trail, is most difficult. Roads have been roughly cleared at intervals 

 to bring logs down from the mountain side to the saw mills formerly 

 operated at Page, and in a few places there are trails leading to the top. 

 But if the explorer is more intent upon making discoveries than upon speed 

 or comfort, he will not follow these far, but will strike out up one of the 

 numerous deep ravines which scar the mountain side. For here will be 

 found not only the most picturesque scenery but also the greatest abund- 

 ance and variety of plant life. After heavy rainfalls great volumes of 

 water rush down these channels, and in several of the deeper ones are the 

 sources of small creeks, fed by perennial springs. At most seasons one 

 may climb far without seeing a trace of running water, but upon scaling 

 some ledge he will come upon a strong flowing stream dashing over moss 

 covered rocks and ledges, with many miniature cascades and limpid pools, 

 their margins and the rocky banks covered with a luxuriant growth of 

 ferns, flowering herbs and shrubs. The Christmas Fern, Maidenhair 

 Fern and Marginal Shield Fern are abundant here, and the wild Hydrangea 

 {Hydrangea arbor escens) , Mockorange (Philadelphus pubescens), Ilex 

 caroliniana, and sometimes the slender Strawberry-bush (Evonymus 

 americanus), bent down in autumn with its load of beautiful carmine and 

 orange fruit, grow pendent over the rocky ledges. Red and Sugar Maple, 

 Chinquapin, Linden and several sorts of Hickories and Oaks grow along 

 the margins and interlock their branches above the narrow channel. A 

 little farther up the slope, if the season is early spring, may be seen a 



