COL FEILDEN AND MR. GELDART ON THE FLORA OF KOLGUEV. 175 
sharp wind or snow showers, he seeks shelter in the valley. 
Turning some corner his eyes are greeted with a lloral display, 
quite unexpected, and in marked contrast with the scenes lately 
passed through, which cannot fail to make a lasting impression. 
The following is a record of such a bank, noted on the spot. Here 
are masses of blue Gentian ( Gentiana renut), of superb colour, with 
a wealth of Forget-me-nots (Myosotis alpestris), intermingled with 
Pohmonium ctvruleum. Contrasting with these lovely shades of 
blue, are yellow twin-Howered Violets ( Viola bijlnra), in dense beds, 
patches of Buttercups (Ranuuciiht* fieri*), with Potentilla, Marsh- 
marigold, and Globe-Hower ('/'nil lias europans), waving highest 
of all, Silene acau/in in clumps, with its pink mass of bloom, 
Sedttm rhodiola scattered broadcast, with Alpine Milk-vetch, 
Qjrytrnpis sardida, Hedysarun i obsettrum, Wood Geranium, Valerian, 
and Veronica, Willow bushes, a carpeting of grasses, and large beds 
of our common Lady ’s-man tie. 
It is apparent from these observations by Feilden that the llora 
of the western side of Kolguev is richer than that of the east coast 
where the ice clings to the shore throughout the year. This is 
shown by a comparison of the list of plants obtained chiefly 
in the valley of the Gobista, with that made by such a competent 
botanist as Mr. Trevor- Battye on the eastern side of the island 
and the elevated interior. The much earlier date on which llowers 
blossom on the western side is also noticeable. This difference 
in favour of the western side may be accounted for by the shelter 
afforded in its valleys, and the tempering influence of the Gulf 
Stream which extends as far eastward as the Sea of Barents. 
Our previous knowledge of the flora of Kolguev is confined to 
two authorities, the first being the celebrated botanist Ruprecht, 
who, as already mentioned, made his memorable visit to Kolguev 
in 1841. The list of flowering plants collected by him on the 
island is given in his work entitled Flores Samoyedorum 
Cisurallensium. The other is Mr. Trevor- Battye, who in 1894 
found ninety-six flowering plants on Kolguev, and in his work* 
gives a list of twenty-one others recorded by Ruprecht, and which 
Mr. Trevor-Battye did not meet with himself, bringing up the 
total number of flowering plants then known from Kolguev to one 
hundred and seventeen. 
* ‘Ice-bound on Kolguev,’ pp. 396-415. 
