Botany of the Faeröes

Abstract

ANY addition to our knowledge of the natural history of the islands on the north-west fringe of Europe must be welcome. Most people know little more of one such group—Faeröe Islands—than that they are somewhere in the North Atlantic. There are eighteen islands in all, lying, mostly more or less befogged, in 62° N. lat. and 70° W. long., at the meeting point of a warm Atlantic current with a cold polar one from the east coast of Iceland. They are nearer the Shetlands (300 kilos, distant) than Iceland (480 kilos, distant). They are all basaltic in origin. The basalt occurs in horizontal beds, contains 10 per cent, of lime, and weathers easily. There are 15,000 people and 100,000 sheep on them. Their mountains are 3000 feet in height, and are still unexplored for the most part. The average annual temperature is 6.5° C., the winter being mild, and summer cold, with rapid changes. There are., 23 percent, dry, 12 per cent, calm, and only 5 per cent. clear days in the year.

Botany of the Faeröes.

Based upon Danish Investigations. Published by the aid of the Carlsberg Fund. Vols. 1–3. Pp. xxviii+1070; illustrated with 24 plates and 202 figures in the text. (Copenhagen and Christiania: Glydendalske Boghandel, Nordisk Forlag; London: John Wheldon and Co., 1901–1908.)