duriiig Part of 1S31 and 1832. 359 



sudden change of temperature and copious deposition of 

 moisture, which then seem to give effect to the miasmata, 

 whatever they are, that cause the Roman fever; which, 

 both from its intensity and so much more violently affecting 

 the head, differs considerably from the intermittent fevers of 

 more northern climates. They say, that after the lapse of 

 this hour, or hour and a half, the air has no longer that chill 

 feel which is experienced even in hot weather ; and that there 

 is little or no danger from subsequent exposure to the night 

 air, at least in Rome. 



Fogs. — Fogs occurred only on six days during the whole 

 winter ; namely, on five days in December, and on one in 

 January; and then only in the night and morning; being 

 always occasioned by a north or north-west wind succeeding 

 one from the south or south-west, and being always dispelled 

 by the sun before noon. The atmosphere, however, though 

 not foggy, was occasionally, even when the sun shone, as 

 hazy as in England ; and, from what I have observed during 

 upwards of two years* residence in Italy (except in the hot 

 summer months), the accounts in books of the extraordinary 

 general clearness of the Italian sky must be taken with many 

 grains of allowance; the same haziness and consequent in- 

 distinctness of distant objects, which are so usual in England, 

 prevailing on a considerable proportion of days in the year. 



Progress of Vegetation. — Many elms, acacias, poplars, &c., 

 retained their leaves still green till the latter end of Novem- 

 ber, when a cold night stripped nearly all except weeping wil- 

 lows, which still kept theirs till the middle of December ; and 

 as these lauSt had their leaves one third expanded on Feb. 14., 

 they were without leaves only two months. Daisies, shep- 

 herd's purse, wild marigold (Calendula arvensis), and other 

 common wild plants, were in flower the whole winter. Violets 

 in flower in great profusion, the last week of January ; and 

 almond trees in blossom about the same time. Butterflies 

 and other insects on the wing on fine days, the whole winter. 

 Hive bees busy in flowers, January 28. 



It may make this account of the vegetation more complete, 

 to state that we did not find, on our arrival at Naples, 

 that it was at all more advanced there than at Rome, though 

 so much farther south ; and that, on the road, we observed 

 in flower. Euphorbia dendrbides, JS'chium italicum, Vibur- 

 num Tinus and iaurus nobilis (in the hedges in great 

 abundance), Erica arborea, blackthorn, ^sphodelus ramosus ? 

 &c. &c. Hawthorn, and some distant willows (not the weep- 

 ing) with leaves one third expanded. 



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