422 LABRADOR 
their study offers a problem for further research, attractive 
for both economic and scientific reasons. 
Mention may also well be made of certain growths which, 
while not ordinarily attractive as foods, may yet serve in 
emergency to sustain life for an indefinite period. A list 
and description of a number of such “emergency foods,” 
easily available at any season of the year, has recently 
been given by Ernest Thompson-Seton (Country Life in 
America, September, 1904, Vol. VI, p. 458). After enu- 
merating several small forms of animal life that may serve 
in this way, he describes and pictures the plants. Among 
them are several abundant lichens (Cetraria or Iceland moss, 
Cladonia or reindeer moss, Umbilicaria or rock-tripe), 
the outer and inner (but not the middle) bark and the 
buds of aspen (Populus tremuloides), the shoots of spruce 
and tamarack, the inner bark of willows and birch. Most of 
these need to be well dried at first, and then either roasted 
or boiled for a long time. It is evident that a knowledge 
of these plants and of their nutritious qualities might on 
occasion prove of the utmost value to the traveller in these 
regions. The party of Sir John Franklin lived almost ex- 
clusively on such diet for over three months. ‘‘ Lowly in 
the scale of diet as they are in the scale of organic nature,” 
says Mr. Seton, “the rock-tripes are yet reliable friends of 
man, and no one should travel in these vast inhospitable 
regions without a knowledge of their appearance, their 
qualities, and the best methods of preparing them for 
human food.” * 
1Some of the edible plants here mentioned are of very common 
occurrence in all these northern lands. The list here mentioned could 
doubtless be largely extended. 
