68 ir. //. TioenJiofel — Geologic Bearing of the 



attained nnless tliej occupy more or less sheltered areas. The 

 writer has seen one locality where fnllj a dozen half-grown 

 trees had gone down together, the entire snhstratnm being 

 uplifted as a floor. In a wind this substratum can be felt to 

 lieave underneath one's feet. 



Some areas of the lowest terrace are treeless, the vegetation 

 in most cases consisting of mosses, grasses, orchids, ground- 

 pines, and similar low plants. Other treeless areas have a 

 tangled growtli of procumbent and low shrubs which are 

 penetrable with the greatest difficulty. Among such shrubs a 

 low spreading conifer is especially prominent, in many places 

 effectually shielding even cliff slopes from the sun. Portions 

 that are more or less covered with water are not lacking in 

 a heavy growth of vegetation. ' 



The rank luxuriance of the vegetation was a source of sur- 

 prise. The annual growth rapidly springs up in wonderful 

 profusion, while an open forest growth is not favored, due to 

 the elimination of most of the large trees. This annual growth 

 is added to the peat in the early pa)"t of September in a rela- 

 tively short period of time and at a time when the absence of 

 heat and superabundance of water prohibit oxidation. The 

 writer believes that too great emphasis cannot be placed upon 

 the fact that here in a relatively cold climate there exists a 

 heavy annual growth of vegetation which is yearly added to 

 the deposits of peat under conditions that practically prohibit 

 its oxidation. 



A comparison with the vegetation of such tropical regions 

 as are exemplified by the Amazon valley would show that at 

 any one time a greater quantity of vegetation exists in a 

 definite region than exists on an equal area of Anticosti ; but 

 it is questionable if such a great increment is annually given 

 to the substratum in the former region as in the latter, while 

 in the former region the death of the vegetation extends over 

 a long period of time under conditions that permit its ready 

 destruction. The point upon which emphasis is desired to be 

 laid is not, however, the abundance of vegetation ; but the 

 quantity that is not oxidized. 



Climatic Conditions. — The climate is cool and moist. The 

 temperature varied in the six years extending from 1897 to 

 1902* from 26° C, which occurred once, to —39° C, which 

 occurred twice. The average temperature of June, July, and 

 August is about 12"5° C. ; that of the winter months is about 

 10° C. in the negative sense. The average annual temperature 

 is about 2° C.f 



*SchrQitt, Joseph, Monographie de I'lle d' Anticosti, pp. 40-43, Paris, 1904. 

 fHam, J., Isotherms of North America, Bartholmew's Physical Atlas, 

 pi. 7, 1899. 



