178 THE FOKEST LANDS OF NORTHERN EUSSIA. 



impress to the occupations, manners, and mode of life of 

 the population. 



' With animal life in this country I am but little 

 acquainted, having given little attention to zoology ; but 

 researches devoted to the fauna, and more especially to 

 the fishes of this district, could not fail to bring to light 

 many interesting facts. There is one kind of fish called 

 the palea, belonging principally, if not exclusively, to these 

 northern lakes, which has not had its natural history 

 studied, or been itself scientifically described. Amongst 

 herbivorous animals, the foremost places must be assigned 

 to the elk and deer, and to the brown bear, and perhaps to 

 the wild boar. Besides these in the woods, wolves, foxes, 

 and hares are met with, and water-fowl, but no flies or 

 fleas ! 



' The Vuig forests consist mainly of pines, firs, birches, 

 aspens, the mountain ash, hoary-leaved alder (Alnus incana) 

 elder, dwarf birch (Betula nana) } and some dwarf willows, 

 cherry trees, honeysuckle, the sloe, and the wild rose. Of 

 the suffruticose bushes, which constitute what may be 

 called an under-covering of the soil, the following are met 

 with blaeberries, cranberries or Brousnika, crowberries, 

 stone brambles, &c., and the ground is almost everywhere 

 covered with marsh moss (Sphagnum palustris), or reindeer 

 moss (Cladonia rangiferina) ; the former on marsh or bog 

 land, and low damp places, forming a layer of great depth ; 

 the second covering higher lying places, hills, and fre- 

 quently growing on bare granite. Sometimes along with 

 the sphagnum there grows another moss called Kijkum, or 

 flax.' 



Mr Judrae did not meet with any hardy or broad-leaved 

 tree besides those named, although there is reason to 

 believe that some grow in the northern part of an adjacent 

 district. From the result of his inquiries at the peasants, 

 he was satisfied that there were none here, as they seemed 

 to have no idea of such trees as he described. ' For the 

 first appearance of such/ says he, 'they must be looked 

 for in the eastern, not in the northern, part of the Govern- 



