The Botany of Iceland - 01.12.1914, Page 72

THORODDSKN
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mountains-sides is saturated with water from melting snow during
spring, and slides slowly downwards; very often gravel and clay is
by this arranged in bands down the slopes. Below large snow-drifts
whicli persist till far into summer, or during the whole of summer,
there is alw'ays w'ater which soaks into the soil, and upon many
mountain-sides, slow-flowdng mud-streams are formed, which in shape
and movement recall small glaciers. In other places the flowing
Fig. 17. An old Tun. Kjós near Reykjavík. (Phot. A. Hesselbo.j
soil forms small terraces, which are partially transformed into rows
of knolls overgrown with plants. Sometimes the soil is loosened
from the solid rock, or slides upon the ice of the subsoil; some-
times clayey streams ílow down into depressions and valleys, and
occasionally fragments of greensward, which had l>een resting upon
a saturated substratum of sand and clay, are loosened. Frequently
it can also be seen how water, flowing upon the ice of the suhsoil
down the sloj)e, undermines the soil so thal large pieces of green-
sward are put into motion, give way, and are torn asunder. It may
also happen, where there is a thick Iayer of loose soil, th’at the