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NOTES ON THE FLOEA OF SHETLAND, 

 with some ecological observations. 



By William West, F.L.S. 



These notes only apply to a part of Shetland and by no 

 means pretend to be exhaustive of that part ; they do, however, 

 fairly represent what can be generally observed through August 

 in that district which was investigated. A great part of Unst 

 was examined, the district about Ollaberry, that between the latter 

 place and Hillswick, that part of Ronas Hill between its summit 

 and Ollaberry, and a very small part of the district between 

 Lerwick and Scalloway. 



The geological formation of those parts visited is Precambrian 

 and metamorphic, schists being prevalent. A broad band of 

 Serpentine passes through the length of Unst. In the north of 

 the mainland, north-west of Ollaberry, there is a great mass of 

 red granite, whose highest point is on the somewhat flat-topped 

 Ronas Hill, at an elevation of 1475 ft. 



There is much moorland, some of which is enclosed but much 

 more is unenclosed, and in some places partial drainage and 

 grazing has altered its original character in varying degrees. 

 Other enclosures which may be termed fields have been drained 

 still more, and have also been grazed on oftener ; these are in a 

 transition stage between moorland and pasture. In a few fields 

 near the farms, oats (the variety with an extra long awn) and 

 potatoes are grown, and in some cases cabbages also. The oats 

 were still green near the end of August, a condition I have noticed 

 before at still later periods of the year in Lewis and Harris. 



There is a total absence of native trees, as in the Outer 

 Hebrides, Clare Island, &c., hence the absence or scarcity of shade 

 plants. A resident told me that one or two plants of Pyncs 

 Aucicparia were said to occur in ravines, but I saw none in those 

 I visited. 



The summer temperature is comparatively low with cold winds, 

 especially after sunset. One of the most striking features is the 

 total absence of many common British plants and the scarcity of 

 many others. When looking at a bare list of the plants occurring 

 in a district like this, one can easily form erroneous ideas as to 

 the frequency or otherwise of the species enumerated. To illustrate 

 what I mean, I will mention a fevv out of many ; I only found 

 Vaccinium uliginosum on one elevated tract in Unst — it may occur 

 on the opposite side of the Voe which reaches a higher elevation, 

 and to which the weather hindered my intended visit — it is very 

 local, though fairly abundant where it occurs. Arctostaphylos 

 Uva-ursi I only found in one very stony place, though there it 

 was quite profuse on account of the suitable physical and edaphic 

 conditions. A solitary plant of Giiaphalium sylvaticum in a 

 pasture was the only one seen during the month. Also but one 

 specimen was seen of a few other plants, such as Liizida spicata, 

 Juncus trifidus, and Juniperus sibirica. Pteris aquilina was 

 Journal of Botany. — Vol. 50. [Sept. 1912.] u 



