THE ARCTIC ZONE OF HIGH MOUNTAINS 97 



taking on autumn colour, and in the open spaces 

 the mountainside is bright with late flowers. 



In these moorlands are scattered the last and 

 best of Nature's crop of choice berries — kinnikinick, 

 currant, wintergreen, blueberry, and bunchberry. 

 In the lowlands the berries have been gone for days 

 and even weeks. One feels that Nature is taking 

 unusual liberties in the plant world; that summer 

 has added a postscript to her season and has 

 climbed the mountain tops for the benefit of her 

 feathered and furred creatures. 



Arctic plants are scattering their seeds to the 

 winds. The succulent leaves of many of the plants 

 which farther down the mountain slope or in the 

 valley have long since made plans for winter, are 

 here in season and hanging on in all their early 

 summer beauty. 



With the last stand of summer — with its flowers, 

 berries, and seeds — are grasshoppers and numer- 

 ous accompanying varieties of insects that live 

 upon the small plant growths. Butterflies also 

 flourish in this land of much sunshine and few 

 storms, and add their touch of beauty to the land- 

 scape. But they are susceptible to the slightest 

 change in temperature or weather, and at the first 

 warning from cloud or wind drop to the ground 

 and remain motionless until all is clear again. 



Besides resident and migrating birds there are 

 resident animals, and those that have climbed 

 up from the lower slopes. These wild creatures, 



