360 
MR. H. D. GELDART ON PLANTS COLLECTED BY 
Saxifraoa oppositifolia from tho island has unusually large 
flowers. 
Pedicularis flammea and Langsdorffii are exactly like speci- 
mens so named at Kew. 
Lueula (arcuata) closely resembles an old Scotch specimen 
in my possession so named. 
The greatest interest attaching to this collection arises from the 
fact, that so far as it goes, practically speaking, the flora of West 
Digges Island is almost identical with that of Floeberg Beach, where 
the “Alert” wintered in 1875-76, twenty degrees further north 
in lat. 82-27 ; the only intrusion of more southern forms being the 
two Lerjuminosoe, Matricaria, Pijrola, Merfcnsia, Pedicularis, and 
Luzula, whilst in the Genus EriopJiorum (cotton grass), Digges 
Island, has distinctly the more northern form capitatum in place 
of E. piohjstachion. 
In order to try to realise what a difference in the vegetation of 
more temperate climates 20° of lat. or about 1200 miles makes, 
let us take this room where we are to-night. Twenty degrees 
lat. south of us (about the same long.), will land us in North 
Africa at the back of the Atlas Mountains, on tho borders of 
the Great Desert, in the home of tlie Date Palm. Or take 
tho Pseroo Islands in the same lat. as West Digges Island, and 
whoso flora avo are going to compare presently avith that of tho 
Island — 20° south of them Avill land us just about the Gerez 
in Portugal, amid the flora of Avhich Mr. Corder told us not 
long back — Avill take us from a country absolutely Avithout trees, 
green Avith herbage all the year round, under copious mists, to a 
land of arborescent Heaths, Narcissi, and Avild Olives, green enough 
in spring, but burnt broAvn ami taAvny early in summer ; and yet 
betAveen 82° and 62° of north lat., tho long, being about the same, 
there is really very little difference in the flora. 
To compare this collection Avith the Flora of Floeberg Beach by 
Genera. 
West Digges Island has Floeberg Beach has 
2 Eanunculi 2 Ranunculi (identical) 
Papaver 
Papaver do. 
2 DrabvE 
Eutrema 
3 Draba: (1 identical) 
COCHLEARIA 
