Mr Kingston on the Nat, Hist of Devon and Cornwall, 34 r> 



relative proportions of organized forms, and their geographical: 

 distribution, is, perhaps, capable in itself of forming a paper not 

 devoid of interest; but I have thrown the following materials 

 together, rather with the hope that it may induce some one t» 

 draw up a similar account of the opposite extremity of our 

 island, for the purpose of comparison, and thus give to these- 

 details a far greater practical value and interest than they can 

 of themselves be made to possess. The results contained in this 

 paper comprise the summary of many years continued, and 

 tolerably extensive, personal examination, together with the 

 information derived from the specimens and notes, furnished from 

 time to time by scientific friends engaged in similar pursuits, 

 con amore^ like myself; and I trust that I may hazard the state- 

 ment, that this paper has been drawn up from sufficiently copious 

 details to make it an approximation, at least, to that accuracy 

 which would be required for the comparison I wish to see 

 instituted. And, farther, though the different localities are per- 

 haps not far enough apart to furnish any very striking differences^ 

 yet, a careful investigation may shew more than at the first 

 glance might be expected; and, as it is only by minutely tracing 

 the alterations in the relative proportions of the different types, 

 and natural assemblages of organized bodies, that correct general 

 principles can be established in this, the most philosophical 

 part of natural science, such investigatiQa^.^n scarcely faJ4^ 

 throwing some light on the subject. ,,- .^ijt tit tl • 



The southwestern peninsular portion of Britain, comprising 

 the two counties of Devon and Cornwall, and bounded by those 

 of Dorset and Somerset, on one side, and by the British and the 

 Bristol Channels, on the others, may be considered as forming an 

 irregular triangle, or rather, Devon may be called a trapezium, 

 with Cornwall as an isosceles triangle attached to it. This 

 district is included between 31° 13' and 47° north lat., and 2° 50/ 

 and 5° 40' west long., having a surface territory of about, (or, at 

 least, very nearly,) 4000 square miles ; and, though no where 

 rising to a mountainous elevation, it is almost every where hilly 

 and unequal, a plain of a ^^\^ miles in circumference being 

 scarely met with. But a brief sketch of its geological character 

 may be useful in illustrating the more immediate subject of this 

 paper. 



The central and most elevated portion of the district is com- 

 posed of granite ; it occupies the whole of the wild and barren 

 tract known by the name of the forest of Dartmoor, which may 

 be considered as an extensive table land, having a mean height 

 of about 1700 feet above the sea level. The surface boundary 

 of this formation presents a very irregular and indented outline, 

 but its general direction is northeast and southwest, commencing 

 with Dartmoor, and terminating in the sea, at the Land's End, 

 between which two points it is interrupted, at three or four 

 ^considerable intervals, by superincumbent strata of primitive 



