A survey of the Phytogeography of the Arctic American Archipelago 149 
wide interveuing distances is in question. The fact that raost birds of the Arctic 
Archipelago are migratory ones, thus so far is of Httle icterest, but the influence of 
birds as recruiting the flora is not therefore disposed of. 
Among the birds distributed all over the Archipelago the following are plantea- 
ters: the snowbunting, the ptarmigan, and the brentgoose, as well as the rare flax- 
finch and wheatear or stoneehat; in the south a few more appear. The snow- 
bunting is the most common and always the first migratory bird to arrive in early 
spring. It does not, however, make all the distance from its place of winter-sojourn 
in the temperate regions up to the breeding-place in one continued flight, but step' 
by step follows the advance of spring northward, and in the autumn retreats in a 
similar manner. During these periods it may certainly in some measure contribute 
to the transport of plants over shorter distances, but it is to be held in mind, that 
not many seeds can pass the intestines of a seedeating bird unharmed. The brent- 
goose also comes northward rather early, and large flocks then may be seen on the 
patches of snowbare ground, feeding on what is accessible of yegetable matter; in 
visitmg one place after the other during their northward voyage, while pair after 
pair leaves the flock to seek a convenient breadingplace, the geese will, of course 
swallow many seeds, and occasionally some small ones nmy be deposed in another 
place in a state fit for germination 
So large a part of the flora having, however, seeds more or less adapted for 
dispersal by means of wind, there is no need of attributing any considerably impor- 
tance to the birds as dissemiuating factor in the case of the largest number by 
far, more than 90 pct., of the plants, but for the few species with fleshy fruits it 
is certainly to be reckoned with, The four plants of that group are Vaccinium 
uhgmosum, Empetrum nigrum, Ardostaphylos alpina, and Rubus Chamoimorus. The 
two firstnamed are spread over the whole Archipelago up to Ellesmereland, while 
the third stops in North Devon. As the principal means of spreading these I think 
the ptarmigan is to be looked upou. That bird is not migratory, but it will roam 
rather much about, especially in the autumn. and it is feeding preferably on berries. 
During the winter the ptarmigan may often be seen to burrow in the snow of 
slopes and other places with a well developed vegetation, and its intestines may 
even then be found full of leaves of Vaccinium and other vegetable matter. As 
the seed will doubtless in most cases pass its digestive organs without damage, 
and as the two tirst of the plants mentioned above are found sterile in most localities 
to the north, but are commonly distributed notwithstanding, I think we must look 
to the ptarmigan as their usual distributör. Thus the plants in question will be 
sown out in many places where they can develop, but not mature their fruit, and 
also in a few favoured localities where fruit may be found, when the summer has 
been long and warm enough. Seeds of other plants probably under normal circum- 
stances cannot pass the intestine of the ptarmigan, but for a short transport they 
may be carried by it on the feet or in the plumage of other parts. 
19 
