GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF TREES. 39 
oak, though not numerous, are found forming little 
woods, 
Of the pine, Pinus sylvestris, Dr Broch reports that it 
is found everywhere throughout the country ; in the south 
to an elevation of 950 and 900 metres; on the Nordre- 
Guldbrandstal, 62° N. lat., to 900 and 800 metres; in the 
Diocese of Drontheim, 63° to 65° N., to 650 and 500 
metres; in the prefecture of Nordland to 550 and 350 
metres; but in Finmark, 70° N. rarely at more than 200 
metres above the level of the sea. 
The Norway spruce fir is generally known as Abies com- 
munis. According to Hullet, this generic name is derived 
from, and is of the dialect of, the Celtic Abetoa, whence 
come Abiete Italian, Abeto Spanish, &c. Hesychus,the Greek 
grammarian, calls it A44én. According to others, the name 
is derived from-the Latin Abeo to spring—and has been 
given in reference to its lofty and aspiring habit—or the 
Greek Ajios, a pear tree or a pear, the name being givea 
‘to this tree in reference to the form of its fruit! Amidst 
etymological derivations so varied I have no choice. By 
some it is alleged to be identical with the Abzes excelsa of 
De Candolle. It is known as the Fichtenbaum of Germany, 
the Absete of Italy. I have found it spoken of as identical 
with the Sapin of France; but the Sapin communis, the 
silver fir of England, known by several other names in 
different districts, is the Picea pectinata, D. Don, and the 
Abies pectinata of De Candolle ; while to the Abies excelsa 
of De Candolle, the Abies Picea of Millaw, the Picea eacelsa 
of Lank, is given the name of Sapin rouge, Sapin gentil, 
Sapin épicéa, &e., and now generally the name Epicéa 
commune 
Some confusion, says Loudon, exists in the works of 
modern authors respecting the silver fir and the spruce, 
partly, as it would appear, from the circumstance of 
Linnzus having made an erroneous application of .the 
names given to these trees by Pliny. The tree which 
