560 THE FUR SEALS OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS. 



For the use of books from their private libraries and much kindly assistance in 

 the preparation of this paper I have to thank my friends Dr. Bdw. L. Greene, Mr. 

 Theodor Holm, and my father, Prof. John Macoun. Mr. Holm's beautiful and correct 

 figures of new species were made after a careful study of the plants they represent. 

 Species which I considered new have been described by specialists, and other difficu] t 

 species have been submitted to botanists who have made a special study of the groups 

 to which they belong — the Carices to Messrs. Bailey, Kukenthal, Holm, and Wheeler, 

 the grasses to Prof. Scribner — but I have in every instance given the result of my 

 own work. Where I have failed to agree with others who have examined my speci- 

 mens I have given the result of their investigation as well as my own. 



Dr. Nils C. Kindberg. Dr. J. W. Bckfeldt, Pastor J. S. D. Branth, and Dr. C. 

 Warnstoff have verified or corrected my determinations of the cryptogams. 



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIBILOF ISLANDS WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO 



THEIB VEGETATION. 



Dr. Merriam's description of the natural features of the Pribilof Islands is so 

 good that I shall not attempt to improve upon it. He says : 



The Pribilof group in Bering Sea is about 350 kilometers (220 miles) north of the Aleutian chain 

 and comprises the islands St. Paul and St. George, separated by about 64J kilometers (40 miles) of 

 sea, and two islets, known as Walrus and Otter islands, near St. Paul. St. Paul is tho largest, meas- 

 uring about 23£ kilometers (14 miles) in length by 12 kilometers (7^ miles) in greatest breadth. St. 

 George is a little less than 19.3 kilometers (12 miles) in length by a little more than 8 kilometers (5 

 miles) in greatest breadth. The highest land is on St. George, where a precipitous cliff fronting the 

 sea and a hill in the interior exceed 275 meters (900 feet). The highest land on St. Panl is a little 

 over 183 meters (600 feet). The group is of volcanic origin and the general surface is rolling with 

 precipitous cliffs along the water front in many places, alternating with broad valleys and basins. 

 The cliffs predominate on St. George. In summer the islands are almost constantly enveloped in fog. 

 The atmosphere is saturated (the wet and dry bulbs registering the same) and the temperature is 

 uniformly low, the thermometer ranging from 7° C. (45° F.) to 9° C. (48° F.), or rarely 10 3 C. (50° F.). 



The sandy shores and dunes of the Pribilof Islands support a very scant vegeta- 

 tion. Cochlearia officinalis, Arenaria peploides, and Elymus mollis are the characteristic 

 species. Lathyrus maritimus and Mertensia maritima, though not rare, are far from 

 common, and these five species are the only shore plants that were seen. A few plants 

 that are not of general distribution grow on cliffs near the sea. Among these are 

 Br aba hirta, Xesodraba grandis, Arabis ambigua, Sagina linnaei and Saxifraga bracteata. 

 Near the village on St. Paul Island and elsewhere on the lower levels on both islands 

 the ponds and lakes are surrouDded by mud flats, on which a number of species grow 

 that are not found elsewhere. The commonest of these are Ranunculus hyperboreus, 

 Banunculus reptans, Montia fontana, Stellaria humifusa, and Potentilla anserina. 

 Chrysanthemum arcticum is sometimes found with them, but is commoner in wet places 

 on higher levels, especially on St. George Island. 



The number of bog and marsh plants is very small, though many of the species 

 that grow elsewhere are also found on the damp, boggy spots that are so character- 

 istic of both islands. There is but one true bog on St. Paul Island, several on St. 

 George. On these Rubus chamaemorus, Saxifraga hirculus, Pedicularis sudetica, and 

 Petasites frigida grow in profusion, but they are all found on other parts of the island. 



The greater part of the surface of both islands is tundra-like and much resembles 

 the barren grounds of arctic America. The commonest plants throughout the wind- 



