very few peculiarities. In the introduced plants there is a greater resemblance to the tropics.

Malta, from its situation, may be supposed to have more African plants than Sicily. Its total flora is about 200 species, nearly the whole of which it is likely have migrated here. Spix and Von Martius collected 150 kinds, of which 56 were common with Germany, 90 with the south of Europe, and only 4 with the neighbouring coast of Africa. may have a few plants of its own, as fungus melitensis, yucca tenuifolia, and ricinus armatus.

It

Corsica offers a few peculiar plants, and the summits of the hills are covered with pinus laricio.

Sardinia has supplied us with common parsley, petro selinum sativum, but it is not limited to the island.

RELATIONS.-In many respects this is a parallel region with the Spain Region, for tropical features show themselves in both, but in the latter are more mixed with African. Labiatæ, though numerous in both, are more abundant here. In the habit of the vegetation it corresponds in many respects with the Asia Minor, California, South Africa, and New South Wales Regions. The Cape of Good Hope genera of irideæ, gladiolus, moræa, trichonema, have each represen tatives here. Putoria calabrica, a cinchonaceous plant, is met with in the south.

XLIV. THE DANUBE REGION.

EXTENT. That portion of Europe to the South of the Carpathians, and between the Adriatic and Black Seas, and consisting of Hungary, the Turkish provinces in Europe, and Greece, much of which is fertilized by the Danube and its tributaries. The southern extreme of Greece is in many respects very similar to Asia Minor.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERS.-No part of Europe is superior in the capabilities of the soil, yet none has been rendered so little available. From some of the productions it would appear more favourable than any other portion of this quarter of the world, for the growth of several of the plants of warm latitudes. The far greater part is still covered by forest, and there are vast marshes where rice is extensively cultivated.

CLIMATE.-The summers are warm, and the winters not usually severe, but the temperature is liable to vicisitudes.

FLORA. The forest, which abounds over much of this region, is composed of a little variety in its trees; in Hungary, species of prunus enter largely into it, sometimes with multitudes of fraxinus rotundifolia; whole forests of cherries and apricots are seen in Wallachia, and the elevated lands sustain large numbers of firs, oaks, pines, and beeches; daphne cretica and spartium parviflorum characterize the shores of Gallipoli; the plum is everywhere cultivated in the greatest abundance, and is the source of a brandy called raky; rhus cotinus abounds in Sclavonia and the neighbouring provinces; and in the southern and southeastern states are large groves of the olive.

Isatis tinctoria, or woad, exists in Hungary, and other species are indigenous; valeriana celtica, or spikenard, seems to prefer a certain elevation; daphne, nerium, clematis, capparis, arbutus, amygdalus, populus, acer, asparagus, orobanche, antirrhinum, astragalus, pyrus, cratægus, spiræa, gypsophila, thalictrum, helleborus, artemisia, chrysocoma, cnicus, carlina, kitaibelia, bubon, seseli, are all characteristic. Quercus racemosa is confined to the south, and the melon and the vine are largely cultivated in Hungary.

RELATIONS. — In Spain the vegetation partakes of African features, and in this region of that of Central and

Western Asia. If it here wants the picturesque beauty of Italy, it is also without the dry sapless aspect of its trees; and the smiling circumscribed character of the vegetation is compensated by luxuriance and vigour. Those plants which like shelter, as certain ranunculaceae and ferns, are more abundant, and for a similar reason crucifeæ are proportionately numerous. Mesembryanthemum has two or three species in Greece.

EXTENT.-The elevated sides of the mountain chains in the south of Europe, above the line of lowland cultivation, to their summits, or the limits of the vegetation. The principal are the Pyrenees, the different portions of the Alps, the Carpathians, the Apennines, and Mount Etna.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERS.-It comprises an extent of rugged and bare mountains, but often sheltering within them rich moist valleys, and small verdant plains. Primitive rocks chiefly prevail, and sometimes with such steep scarped sides as to preclude the assemblage of soil and vegetation. In Mount Etna, and in some parts of the Alps, there are large fields of lava, which, after a certain period, become clothed with plants.

CLIMATE. This will vary from temperate to frigid, according to the elevation; it is also liable to fluctuations, and to be disturbed by brisk winds and storms. The mean temperature of St. Gothard at 6,390 feet is 30° 4. On St. Bernard the fall of rain is 63 inches, which seems great for the latitude, since the mean of twenty places in the lower valleys of the Alps is 565 inches. The mean temperature of Etna, at the base, is 64°.

FLORA. The vegetable productions of higher latitudes gradually appear as the elevation is increased. At first are seen thick forests of their trees, till by degrees they become dwarf and stunted, and are then succeeded by shrubs; after these come certain herbaceous plants, with a large proportion of grasses, large spaces covered with lichens, and lastly perpetual snows. The flowers of this region are often distinguished for the pureness and brilliancy of their colours. The characteristic plants are chiefly derived from gentiana, campanula, phyteuma, cherleria, androsace, primula, aretia, soldanella, ramonda, helleborus, aconitum, saxifraga, pœonia, cytisus, and rhododendron.

The Pyrenees are situated between 42° and 43° N. latitude, and some of the highest peaks attain from ten to twelve thousand feet. The lower portions of both the north and south sides are covered with forests. The oaks on the north side, as quercus robur, q. tauzin, q. pubescens, q. fastigiata, but no evergreen species, these being confined to the southern flanks, and the genus ceases at 3,280 feet. Pines now prevail, pinus sylvestris being found on both sides, at its upper limits being mixed with p. uncinata, which soon after appears alone and closes in the trees at 7,800 feet. Rhododendron ferrugineum now grows in the valleys in vast quantities, with some northern shrubs. Some herbaceous species of cold climates with lichens. soon after close in the vegetation among the perpetual snows, which commence at 8,950 feet. Abies communis and larix europea, have no existence here. The evergreen oaks cease at the village of Andorra. Several of the alpine parts of the Spain Region belong here, as the Sierra Nevada in Granada, Sierra de Estrella in Portugal, Sierra de Cuenca, heights of the Guadarrama, and others.

The Alps stretch across the south of Europe between 44° and 48° N. latitude, and present many greatly elevated peaks and ranges; Mont Blanc, the loftiest, attaining 15,730 feet. Their physical history and flora are scarcely of inferior interest to the Himma-leh mountains, but are far too extensive to be detailed here. The lowland cultivation ceases at about 2,000 feet, and is succeeded by forests of oak, chesnut, and pines, to 3,900 feet. Betula alba, rhododendron, and stunted spruce, reach 7,800 feet, salix herbacea extending something higher. The line of perpetual congelation is about 8,760 feet.

situated in the east of There are also some

The Carpathian Mountains are Europe, between 45° and 50° N. lat. lofty peaks within this range, detached from the general chain. Mount Lomnitz attains 8,436 feet, but the average height is something below this. The lowland cultivation ceases at 1,500 feet. The region of woods succeeds to 4,600 feet, the lower part being chiefly occupied by the oak, birch, and particularly the fir. Next is the region of shrubs, and here also are a few stunted trees of pinus mughus, extending to 5,600 feet. And to these succeed a number of low alpine plants to 6,500 feet, or the summits of the mountains. When the elevation is greater, the surface is occupied by lichens to 8,000 feet, constituting the region of cryptogamic plants.

Mount Etna is situated in 37° 43° N. lat., and has an elevation of 11,360 feet. Observers differ as to the lines of vegetation. The lowland cultivation of the vine and maize ceases at from 2,200 to 3,300 feet. The orange, lemon, and lime attain 1,900 feet, date 1,600, gossypium herbaceum 1,000, morus nigra 2,500, fig 2,200. The plants characteristic of the lava beds are andropogon hirtus, a. distachyos, lagurus ovatus, rumex scutatus, valeriana rubra, plumbago europ ea, thymus nepeta, satureja greca

VOL. II.

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