ARCTIC VEGETATION 69 



species of Eotrychium, the genus to which our 

 Moonwort belongs, has also been found at Eng- 

 lishman's Harbour. 



In the winter practically the whole of the ground 

 is covered with snow: Mr Porsild describes the 

 occurrence of chimney-like holes in the snow 

 through which rises warm and damp air smelling 

 like a greenhouse. The air temperature may be 

 30 C., while the temperature of small pools of 

 water among the vegetation under the snow may 

 be as high as I7C. The occurrence at English- 

 man's Harbour and at other localities on Disko 

 Island of plants characteristic of the more southern 

 parts of Greenland is consistent with an Eskimo 

 legend, according to which Disko Island once lay 

 much farther south. In its original home the 

 island was a hindrance to navigation and an 

 Eskimo sorcerer towed it behind his kayak to its 

 present situation. 



Despite the shortness of the season and the hard 

 conditions inseparable from an Arctic climate, the 

 vegetation competes successfully, in the show it 

 makes, with that of warmer countries and is in 

 some respects superior. How, it may be asked, 

 does the vegetation of Greenland compare with 

 that of the Tropics ? Sunlight, air, and water are 

 everywhere the driving forces of the living plant. 

 In Arctic lands cold and dry winds and winter 

 snow set limits to the upward growth of shoots 

 and compel them to hug the ground and to exer- 

 cise a strict economy in the production of vertical 

 stems. A large proportion of the energy available 



