Some Notes concerning the Vegetation of Germania Land 371 



Basiskæret for us to be able to obtain drinking water there — several 

 days later than last year. A small lake near the station was almost 

 free from ice and was visited by Long-tailed Ducks and loons. 

 The next day the wind was again north-west and the sun was 

 allowed to shed its rich warmth without hindrance over all the 

 country and call forth the humble-bee simultaneously with the 

 first flowering Salix. And now the awakening process proceeded 

 without intermission, so that every day new species appeared: 

 Draba hirta, Draba alpina, Eriophoriim poly stachy urn, Ranunculus 

 sulphureus, etc. The 18th was the first real summer day, on which 

 the maximum reached -{- 8.2^. Vester Elven "forced," i. e. made its 

 way through its upper course, and as this phenomenon occurred 

 two days earlier than was the case last year, so also everything 

 appeared at this time to be further developed than the year before; 

 this also applies to the first-flowering of the above-mentioned species 

 which occurred from one to four days earlier than in 1907. On 

 the same day Ranunculus glacialis and Oxyria digyna were seen in 

 flower. The mean temperature of June was 0.2^ lower than that 

 of last year. The mean for five days was as follows: — — 2.3% 

 — 0.03, - 0.82, 4- 2.38, + 3.35 and + 5.37. Consequently, the warmth 

 did not set in until the middle of the month. We had a positive 

 mean on the 8th, 9th, and 15th. After that the mean temperatures 

 were exclusively positive, although the minimum did not become 

 positive until the 18th. The latter half of the month was decidedly 

 more favourable for the vegetation than was the case last year, 

 and many species were well in progress as regards fruit-setting 

 before the end of the month. 



The absolutely highest temperature was -|- 11-6° in the afternoon 

 of the 28th. Last year the maximum, -|- 7.3, was reached on the 

 20th. There is thus a considerable difference as regards the warmth 

 of the same two months in 1907 and 1908 respectively, and the 

 difference is in the latter half of the month, which this year had 

 been freer from fogs than was the case last year. 



The ice between the ship and the land was traversed for the 

 last time on June 30th; in 1907 it could be traversed until July 6th. 



The month of July began by being warm. The wind con- 

 tinued from the west and the air was clear and dry. From June 24 

 to July 12 there was no frost, consequently, there were in June 9 

 days, as against 6 last year, and in July 12 days without frost. In 

 1907, there were 18 days in the whole of July without frost. From 

 the 13th the wind often veered to the south and east, which caused 

 fogs and low temperature, and thus the days continued till our 

 departure from Danmarks Havn on the 21st. 



