THE GLACIAL KEGION. 455 



tance by the aid of a glass, is a general outline of 

 what may be seen on the slopes of most great 

 mountains, but to determine its exact botanical features 

 of course requires a regular investigation by a skilled 

 observer going all over the ground. 



In what we may call the glacial region, vegetation 

 almost ceases. Nevertheless mosses and lichens still 

 continue to exist on rocks, sometimes for a consider- 

 able height above the snow line. Thus on Chimborazo, 

 the great volcano of Ecuador, lichens were observed 

 by Mr. Whymper up to 18,400 feet. Even an earth- 

 worm was found by him on the summit of Corazon at 

 15,870 feet, and specimens of butterflies and moths 

 reached about 16,000 feet. * This finding of a deli- 

 cate insect like a butterfly at these great altitudes and 

 amid the rigours of an arctic temperature is a curious 

 circumstance, but the same thing has been observed 

 on the Himalayas, at even considerably greater heights. 

 In the account of the British Government Expedition 

 from Lahore to Yarkand in 1870, under command of 

 Sir Thos. D. Forsyth, for instance, the existence of a 

 spotted butterfly (Parnassius A ceo] is duly recorded 

 as having been observed near the highest point of a 

 pass, known as " Cayley's Pass," 19,600 feet over sea- 

 level, at a point where there was no vegetation within 

 ten miles, f 



The enormous height of many of these higher Hima- 

 layan passes is all carefully detailed from measurements 



* Travels among the Great Andes of Ecuador, by Edward Whymper,. 

 1892, pp. 350 to 353. 



j- Lahore to Yarkand, Account of the Rotite and Countries traversed 

 by the Expedition under Sir T. Douglas Forsyth, by Geo. Henderson, 

 Medical officer to the Expedition, and Allan O. Hume, F.Z.S., published 

 J 873, p. 74. For name of Butterfly see list at end of the VoL 

 P- 305. 



