2,y6 Norway and the Norwegians 



put forth shoots at a low temperature, they cannot 

 stand the mikl and variable winters of the coast, and 

 are therefore found in patches separated by long dis- 

 tances, hut always sheltered from the sea-wind, which 

 patches, from the fact that the sea lies principally to 

 the south and west, and the ruling winds in Norway 

 are from those quarters, are found on the east and 

 north-east of the highest mountains and largest glaciers, 

 those acting as barriers against the mild climate of the 

 coast. In such patches the botanist might fancy him- 

 self transported to Spitzbergen or North Greenland, 

 and, if he follows the Arctic flora to Spitzbergen, he 

 will find that there it also shims the sea. 



But besides the mountain plants, there is a lowland 

 flora which shuns the coast, and which, like the moun- 

 tain flora, has a scattered extension. It is richest in 

 the tracts round Christiania, gradually becomes poorer 

 along the coast westwards, almost entirely disappears 

 on the coast of tlie province of Bergen, but reappears 

 at the bottom of the Sogne, Hardanger, and along 

 the Throndhjem Fjords, which fjords are separated from 

 the eastern districts by high mountains. Plants be- 

 longing to this description of lowland flora grow in the 

 finer ddbris found in the higher parts of screes, consist- 

 ing of different kinds of rocks, and facing the south, 

 screes which so frequently occur under precipitous 

 mountains. In such places flourish a number of highly- 

 scented Labiatae, and several Papilionaceae, besides 

 deciduous trees and shrubs, such as the elm, lime, 

 maple, wild apple, dog-rose, etc. 



Near the open sea the flora becomes poorer in 

 species, and of a less interesting character. On a map 



