190 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



tion to the abundance of paint brush — variously 

 called the painted cup and Indian paint brush — 

 which was growing near by. " Digging down to 

 the roots of this plant parasite," he said, "you will 

 find the roots of one specimen clasped over the 

 roots of another. Of course its parasitic habits 

 have given in part the form to its leaves and 

 bracts." The mountain climbers at once asked for 

 stories about the character and habits of other 

 flowers and of the trees. 



Beyond them on the edge of an Arctic moorland 

 lay a snowfield about two blocks long. It ap- 

 peared somewhat like uncut marble. Stained 

 with rock dust, inlaid with wind-blown beetles and 

 grasshoppers, its granular material lay melting in 

 the sun. A bright flower border encircled it. It 

 was made up of flowers of many kinds and colours, 

 flowers with and without perfume, flowers dwarfed, 

 and flowers on tall, stately stalks. In small com- 

 pass was a variety of soil, moisture, and tempera- 

 ture conditions. The soil along the upper edges 

 of the snowfield was coarse and dry; below, fine and 

 moist. Each species of plants was occupying the 

 peculiar place in which it could best flourish, or 

 from which it could exclude competitors. It was 

 determinism — conditions determining the distri- 

 bution. 



It probably is true that many of these flowers 

 were developed around the Arctic Circle. The 

 guide recounted the great Ice Age story — how 



