38 H. G. SIMMONS. [sec. arct. exp. FRAM 



has made the arctic form a sub-species which seems rather out of place. 

 With equal right could the f. Kruhsiana, (Fisch.) of which Kjellman 

 and LuNDSTROM, Fan. Nov. Semi., p. 305, speak, and of which I have 

 myself seen specimens, be regarded as a species. It is, however, only 

 a still more reduced form than that here in view. That I could have 

 looked up individuals that were small and stunted enough and had 

 sufficiently small and rounded leaves to pass muster as f. Kruhsiana 

 I do not doubt, but on the other side also, plants that differed rather 

 httle from the southern, typical form could be found. The growth of 

 the whole shrub, as well as that of the leaves, was very variable, but 

 only in specially favorable localities, such as the Cass*ope-heath at 

 Buchanan Strait, it rose to a height of perhaps eight or ten inches 

 above the ground, mostly it crept between grass and mosses, or lay 

 espalier-like spread close to the soil. 



The flowering was generally rather poor, and only exceptionally 

 any more considerable number of berries was seen. I never saw them 

 quite ripe, but that doubtless was because 1 never had occasion to ob- 

 serve the plant during the later part of the summer. 



In the heath-like vegetation that covered some of the valley bot- 

 toms at Buchanan Strait, Myrtillus was found in great abundance, as 

 well as in grassy slopes, mostly growing sociably. The flowers were 

 found about the end of June. 



Occurrence. East Coast: Hayes Sound district, rather common; 

 Specimens from: Fram Harbour (1101), slope down from the plateau of 

 Cape Rutherford (304), Lastraea Valley (840). Noted by Hart from 

 "Deserted Village" and Twin Glacier Valley. South coast: rather 

 common in the archaean territory (spec, from Harbour Fjord, 2226) and 

 also observed in Muskox Fjord. 



Distribution (here no difference is made between different forms 

 of the species): East and West Greenland, Arctic American Archipelago, 

 arctic and temperate America to the Saskatschawan, Mountains of New 

 England and Adirondacks, New Foundland, Unalaschka, Siberia down 

 to Altai, Novaja Semlja, northern and middle Europe, Faeroes, Iceland. 

 To give the distribution of the present variety is impossible, as it is 

 not distinguished for instance by Hooker and Ledebour. Probably it 

 occurs here and there along the northern boundary of the area af the 

 typical form, and occasionally even further south. 



