of the Polar Regions. 63 



lied to S. sempervirens^ from which it is distinguished only by 

 the size of its cones, which are larger and composed of more 

 scales. Sequoia Sternhergii^ which was abundant in Iceland, 

 is very nearly related to 8. gigantea] whilst >S'. Gouttsice^ 

 which is found in Greenland, at Disco and Ataneverdlak, is 

 intermediate between 8. Langsdorffii and 8. 8ternbergu. The 

 family of the Cypresses is richly represented by three genera — 

 Taxodium, Thujopsis^ and Glyptostrohus. The latter two are 

 still in existence in Japan ; the Taxodia occur in North 

 America, Glyptostrohus europams usually accompanies the 

 Sequoia Langsdorffii^ as also does Taxodium dubium^ of which 

 the branches, leaves, and cones were discovered at Atane- 

 verdlak, and which has also been found ou Spitzbergen, at 

 about 78° N. latitude. Thujopsis eitrojycea is much rarer ; its 

 elegant branches have been found in North Greenland, and 

 they are identical with those obtained from amber and at 

 Armillan (near Narbonne). 



Among the TaxineiE we remark a Salishuria from Green- 

 land ; this genus now occurs in the wild state only in Japan. 



The number of leafg trees is so considerable that we can 

 only indicate a few species. Several of them resemble trees 

 of our countries ; such are the Beeches and Chestmits, which 

 are still found in North Greenland at 70° N. latitude. A 

 species of Beech [Fagiis Deticalionis) is extremely near our 

 common Beech (Fagus sylvatica) ; the leaves are of the same 

 form and dimensions, and have the same nervures, but they 

 are denticulated only at the extremity. This tree was, ap- 

 parently, diflPused through all the northern regions, since we 

 meet with it in Greenland, Iceland, and Spitzbergen. The 

 Oaks are still more varied ; we count eight species in Green- 

 land, most of them having large, elegantly denticulated leaves ; 

 they have some relation to American species. One of them 

 [Quercus Olafsoni)^ which maybe traced from the north of 

 Canada to Greenland and Spitzbergen, is the analogue of 

 Quercus prinus of the United States. A Platanus (P. ace- 

 roides) was also spread over all these countries ; it is even 

 met with in the Eisfjord in Spitzbergen. The Poplars fur- 

 nish a still greater number of individuals than the genera just 

 cited. Two species {Popidus Richardsoni and P. arctica)^ with 

 Sequoia Langsdorffii^ were the commonest trees of the polar 

 zone. We can trace them from the Mackenzie to Spitzbergen. 

 The Willows are very rare, which may well surprise us when 

 we consider that they now form one-fourth of the woody plants 

 of the arctic zone. The Birches were abundant in Iceland, 

 where we also remark a fine species of Tidip-tree and a Maple 

 {Acer otopteryx). In Greenland we find a Walnut^ a Mag- 



