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HALL’S EXCURSIONS. 381 
stalks of which are employed in roofing; we find everywhere 
the Cactus cylindricus, Tuna and coccinellifer ; the landscape 
no longer maintains the character of * evergreen,” but wears 
the pale and yellowish hue of a perpetual autumn. The 
natural aridity of the soil is increased by the scarcity of rain; 
while, in the basin of Quito, the inhabitants reckon nine 
months of winter (meaning wet weather) in the year, those 
of Ambato and Riobamba can with equal certainty count on 
nine months of summer. 
The mean temperature of the neighbourhood of Quito 
may be reckoned about 56°: that of the city itself is about 
57°. The temperature of the Southern basin is rather higher, 
and may be estimated at 60°. Every difference of elevation 
produces of course, a corresponding variation of temperature. 
The mean of the Paramos may be reckoned at 38°, and 
when we reach the limits of perpetual snow at 32°. There 
is a circumstance, worthy of notice, with regard to the tem- 
perature of elevated tropical regious, because it has a 
powerful influence both on animal and vegetable life; that 
is the UNIFORMITY of the yearly temperature, so different 
from our European seasons. "Thus, as Humboldt observes, 
(De Distributione geographica Plantarum, p. 152.) the mean 
temperature of Quito is nearly the same with that of the 
South of France, yet a variety of European fruits, such 
as peaches, nectarines, grapes, figs &c., which ripen well 
with even an English summer, never reach perfection in 
Quito, where the daily range of the thermometer throughout 
the year is from 48? to 65°. The plants of the Andes will, 
for the same reason, be with more difficulty naturalized and 
more readily degenerate in Europe than those of the Alps 
or of northern latitudes, when transported to warmer climates; 
since both in the Alps and in Lapland, there is an alternation 
of summer and winter, differing only in length and intensity 
from those of France or England, while the plants of the 
Andes are rarely exposed to a variation of above 17° through- 
out the year. They thus acquire, like the inhabitants, a con- 
Stitution ill adapted to support great changes. I have never 
