Savile, D.B.O.

ARCTIC

English

D.B.O. Savile

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Alaska Trees and Shrubs, by Leslie A. Viereck and Elbert L. Little

University of Calgary Journal Hosting

172 SHORT PAPERS  AND NOTES net specific balance will be positive and greater than 0.3 m. HzO.  The  strain diamond was remeasured and analysis indicates that  he principal strain axis is directed down-glacier and shows a compressive strain of 10-6 yr. (based on 2 years of measurements). Using the Boas Glacier mass balance data, a discriminant equation has been  developed based on Septem- ber to May accumulation at Broughton Island, and accumulated summer degree days (June, July, August). Investigations of other mass balance data suggest that the Broughton Island data constitute a sensitive predictor of mass balances as far north as Devon Island. This finding is in agreement with the sub- mitted paper by Bradley1 that indicates a broad similarity of climatic events throughout major sections of the Arctic. QUATERNARY GEOLOGY Investigations on Neoglacial, Wisconsin and pre-Wisconsin local ice advances were carried out in the area between Cape Dyer and Pad- loping Island. Echo soundings indicated the presence of glacio-marine deltas at depths of 30 m. below sea level. Dr. G.  Boulton, Uni- versity of East Anglia, Norwich, visited the area  and collected a peat monolith in  front of the Maktak Glacier, and  Dr. M. Church, University of British Columbia, carried out investigations on the Maktak sandur. John T. Andrews Roger G. Barry John D. Jacobs Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado 80302 U.S.A. REFERENCE IBradley, R. S. 1973. Seasonal climatic fluctuations in BaEin Island during  the period of instrumental records. Arctic, 26(3): in press. ALASKA TREES AND SHRUBS. By LESLIE A. VIERECK and ELBERT L. LITTLE. Washington, D.C.: US. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service,  Agriculture  Handbook 410, 1972. 6 x 9 inches,  265 pages, 128 illustrations, 2 maps. $3.25. This well produced and carefully written book is a line addition to the library of any biologist working in Alaska, Yukon or Northwestern British Columbia. Like most U.S.D.A. hand- books it is also a very good bargain at its modest price. The  authors  treat fully 128 species of trees, shrubs and subshrubs that occur regularly in the State, including line illustra- tions and a distribution map. In addition 8 species  of marginal or doubtful occurrence, or that  are almost wholly herbaceous, are treated briefly and without illustrations. Woodiness is hard to delimit precisely, and some may be surprised to find woody-based Cornus  cana- densis and C. suecica (more readily separated by drawings than by descriptions) in the secondary group, although Vaccinium  oxycoccus and Arceuthobium  tsugense are treated fully. The treatment for each species includes full description, habitat, Alaska range, total range, often notes on economic status or use as food and often etymology  of generic name or specific epithet. The Scots, of course, are well- represented here as discoverers, and I hope they will not be too pained at being called Scotch, which, I have always been assured, should be applied only to edible and, naturally, potable products. The treatment is really very thorough, only chromosome numbers being omitted; and probably relatively few species have yet  been counted from Alaskan material. There is a good selective bibliography of over 200 items, about 30 of them 5 years old or less. A map showing the national parks, monu- ments, forests and wildlife refuges forms the front end-papers; and a pocket in the back cover holds a coloured map at 1 : 5,000,000 of the vegetation types. The  latter should be used in conjunction with habitat data  to determine the exact probable range of a species; for, as the  authors warn in the introduction, the small-scale range maps can show little more than the overall limits. Despite these limita- REVIEWS 173 tions, a number of the maps emphasize the importance of the great mass of the St. Elias mountains  and their icefields as a biogeo- graphic barrier. The illustrations, from several sources, usually adequately show the general appearance, but give no details of  flower structure. There is a good introduction that deals, among  other topics, with vegetation types, which should be read thoroughly. It is followed by a key to trees, a winter key to deciduous trees, a key to genera of shrubs, and a winter key to shrubs. Other keys occur in the text as appropriate, and  for Salix there is a vegetative key as well as  the regular one, and even a special key for use in the area of overlap of three difficult species. The authors acknowledge the use  of a manuscript copy of the new treatment of Salix in Alaska and Yukon by George Argus. Genera and species run in taxonomic sequence, bringing related plants conveniently together, which is much easier on the reader than the alphabetical sequence used in some recent floras. Thus Phyllodoce and Cassiope are adjacent. Synonyms are omitted except for names used in  other floras of this general region. In a few instances some readers will inevitably disagree with the  rank (species vs. subspecies), but only additional field and experimental study can settle such issues. The authors call the crow- berry Empetrum  nigrum, as did Calder and Taylor, and avoid the complex problem of ssp. hermaphroditum. It may be noted in passing (although this alone does not allow positive assignment) that it is  very easy to show that a fruiting specimen had perfect flowers: examine the calyx ends of the fruits with a lens, and the old stamens may be seen  between the calyx and fruit. Ledum  groenlandicum is justifiably restored to specific rank. Because it is occa- sionally quite small-leaved at unfavourable sites further distinctions are worth noting. In L. groenlandicum fine white hairs are  abundant on pedicels and capsules; and the coarse rusty hairs are absent from pedicels and calyx. In L. (palustre ssp.) decumbens the white hairs are few and small or lacking on pedicels and .capsules; and  the rusty hairs are. few t6 ’many on pedicels and usually fringe the calyx lobes. The distinction in pedicel shape is reliable in fruit  but often fails in flower. The  authors have provided common names for  all species, not always with unqualified success for small plants that are seldom dis- tinguished by the layman. Starry cassiope seems to me a poorer choice than Steller’s cassiope for Cassiope stelleriana. In this con- nection it may be noted that Stevens (New Phytologist 69: 1131-1148, 1970) strongly sup- ports  the segregation of this unusual species as Harrimanella stellariana (Pall.)  Coville. Andromeda polifolia is mentioned as having toxic foliage, but Kalmia species, including polifolia, have been more often implicated in livestock deaths. The suggestion that the bitter taste is a safeguard is overoptimistic, for small children will eat quantities of chokecherries, tatarian honeysuckle berries and even quinine tablets;  and a taste revolting to adults is literally no protection to them. The book seems very free of misprints. On p. 56 the Mosquito aircraft, designed round  the availability of clear Sitka spruce long enough for the main spar, should be capitalized, the word denoting its name rather than its prey. The only other slip noticed is the almost inevitable one  in my own name, which bothers me only when I am told that I misspell  it! D. B. 0. Savile DIARY OF THE ‘TERRA NOVA’ EXPEDI- TION  TO  THE ANTARCTIC 1910-1912. BY EDWARD WILSON. New York: Humanities Press, Inc., 1972. 7% x 9% inches,  279 pages, 27 watercolours. $19.50. This is an account of Scott’s last expedition from  the original manuscripts in  the Scott Polar Research Institute and the British Museum. In 1966, the publication of Edward Wilson’s diary of the British National  Antarctic expedi- tion of 1901-1904  was  received with the greatest interest by the public. Now, his diary of the Terra Nova expedition of 1910-1912 should be welcomed  with  even greater enthusiasm, especially  by those sincerely interested in polar exploration. As Sir Charles Wright says in the foreword “it is a major contribution to Ant- arctic history”. Dr. Wilson  was a medical man, an ornithol- ogist, and  an artist. He was the scientific Director of the expedition and had working with him scientists of various disciplines. The diary was written primarily for his family, but it is obviously the journal of a naturalist who miss‘eir. no opportunitytb’ recdfd in detail any- thing and everything that was of scientific in- terest. And so, the diary has a wealth of infor- mation about the Antarctic. An indefatigable worker, Dr. Wilson’s working day began at about 4:30 A.M. when he rose to sketch the sunrise or work on his ornithology - and fin- ished at 9:OO or 1O:OO P.M. when he was too sleepy to stay awake. Indeed he often wrote standing up because he feared he would fall asleep if he  sat down. He does not mention the time given to help his companions, help given so gladly and generously that he was known 

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Alaska Trees and Shrubs, by Leslie A. Viereck and Elbert L. Little

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