GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF TREES. 39 



oak, though not numerous, are found forming little 

 woods. 



Of the pine, Pinus sylvestris, Dr Broch reports that it 

 is found everywhere throughout the country ; in the south 

 to an elevation of 950 and 900 metres ; on the Nordre- 

 Guldbrandstal, 62 N. lat., to 900 and 800 metres ; in the 

 Diocese of Droatheim, 63 to 65 N., to 650 and 500 

 metres; in the prefecture of Nordland to 550 and 350 

 metres ; but in Finmark, 70 N. rarely at more than 200 

 metres above the level of the sea. 



The Norway spruce fir is generally known as Abies corn- 

 munis. According to Hullet, this generic name is derived 

 from, and is of the dialect of, the Celtic Abetia, whence 

 come Abiete Italian, Abeto Spanish, &c. Hesychus,the Greek 

 grammarian, calls it Abin. According to others, the name 

 is derived from the Latin Abeo to spring and has been 

 given in reference to its lofty and aspiring habit or the 

 Greek Apios, a pear tree or a pear, the name being given 

 to this tree in reference to the form of its fruit ! Amidst 

 etymological derivations so varied I have no choice. By 

 some it is alleged to be identical with the Abies excelsa of 

 De Candolle. It is known as the Ficktenbauw of Germany, 

 the Abiete of Italy. I have found it spoken of as identical 

 with the Sapin of France ; but the Sapin commum's, the 

 silver fir of England, known by several other names in 

 different districts, is the Picea pectinata, D. Don, and the 

 Abies pectinata of De Candolle; while to the Abies excelsa 

 of De Candolle, the Abies Picea of Millaw, the Picea excelsa 

 of Lank, is given the name of Sapin rouge, Sapin gentil, 

 Sapin, epicea, &c., and now generally the name Epicea 

 commune. 



Some confusion, says Loudon, exists in the works of 

 modern authors respecting the silver fir and the spruce, 

 partly, as it would appear, from the circumstance of 

 Linneeus having made an erroneous application of ^the 

 names given to these trees by Pliny. The tree which 



