Meteorological Constitution of the Earth. 321 



pinea and Cupressus sempervirens, which, however, are con- 

 sidered as cultivated plants. Theophrastus mentions that the 

 Chamcsrops humilis is frequent in Sicily ; and that even 

 there and in Calabria it begins at present to cover large tracts 

 of ground. 



At a certain height above the level of the sea occur, both in 

 the Apennines and in Greece, a number of trees which do not 

 bear the high temperature of the plains, and which partly are 

 the same that in the north of Europe belong to the lower coun- 

 tries. Theophrastus mentions among the plants which require 

 cold places Pinus picea and abies, Taxus baccata, Sorbus 

 aucuparia, Betula alba^ Jimiperus communis^ Corylus avel- 

 lana ; even Buxus sempervirens, Quercus ilex, Castanea vesca, 

 and Arbutus uiiedo, are mentioned among them, although they 

 belong to the middle region. About Pinus picea, Pliny says, 

 " situs in excelso montium ;" and Virgil, " abies in montibus 

 altis." Pliny, in another passage, " gaudet frigidis sorbus et 

 magis etiam betula.'' Pliny reports, that the bay and myrtle 

 grow somewhat upon the mountains, and this may be a farther 

 proof that the climate has not been colder, because now they 

 grow in the middle of Italy only to the height of from 1000 to 

 1200 ieet 



From the beech-tree some objection, not to be neglected, 

 might be derived. It is now the most common tree in the higher 

 regions of the Apennines and in the Sicihan mountains, but it is 

 absolutely wanting in the lower hills and in the plains. In upper 

 Italy the lower limit of the beech is 2000 feet above the level 

 of the sea ; in middle Italy about Rome it occurs only at 3000 

 feet ; in Sicily only at a height of 4000 ; in Greece, accord- 

 ing to Sibthorp, likewise on mountains. There are some pas- 

 sages in the ancients, which lead to the conclusion, that the 

 beech in former times has grown on the plains of Italy and 

 Greece. Theophrastus says respecting ogua (the beech) that the 

 plains in the country of the Latins are covered with it, and bay 

 and myrtle. Pliny mentions the beech as a tree which, al- 

 though it grows on the mountains, yet descends into the plains, 

 and says that a place in Rome is called Fagutal, because there 

 was before the foundation of the town a beech wood on that spot. 

 As to Theophrastus, some doubts may be raised that his (fyct, is 



