British Islands, Shetland^ Feroe, and Iceland, 49 



the peat-bogs which now occupy their place, the bones and 

 antlers of gigantic stags, and the remains of the trees of 

 these extinct forests. Lost species of the ox, bear, wolf, and 

 fox, were the only inhabitants of these solitudes. The task 

 of nature was completed ; that of man began as soon as he 

 appeared. The forests fell under his axe, stagnant waters 

 were drained, cultivation extended, animals continued to dis- 

 appear, the population increased, and the transformation of 

 the ground was accomplished by the uninterrupted progress 

 of civilisation. As the work of human power, this transforma- 

 tion is as complete, as profound, as that which took place in 

 geological times, when the present epoch succeeded the gla- 

 cial period. 



If we endeavour to give a brief view of Messrs Watson and 

 Forbes' notions respecting the origin of the flora and fauna 

 of the British Archipelago, we should say, with them, that 

 these islands have been peopled by many colonies successive- 

 ly leaving the Continent of Europe, from the epoch of the 

 middle tertiary formations up to our own. When a vast con- 

 tinent extended from the Mediterranean regions to the Bri- 

 tish islands, the plants of the Asturias, and those of Armo- 

 rica, peopled the south of England and Ireland. To this 

 period succeeded the glacial epoch, during which the lands 

 were immerged to a depth of about 450 metres. This is the 

 period of the migration of the arctic plants which still inha- 

 bit the tops of the Scottish mountains. When these lands 

 emerged anew, England was united to France, the tempera- 

 ture being such as it is at present. At this time the great 

 German invasion took place, absorbed, so to speak, all the 

 rest, and left very feeble remains of them. Thus, while the 

 Asturian plants, those of the south, are reduced to a small 

 number of species confined to the south-west of Ireland, the 

 hardy vegetables of the north completed their conquest, and 

 took possession of the ground which was to be occupied at a 

 later period by a warrior race issuing from the same regions. 

 The colonisation being completed, England became separated 

 from the Continent ; and this last geological event, so insig- 

 nificant compared with those which preceded it, has exercised 

 an immense influence on the destinies of the world. Less in- 



VOL. XLVI. NO. XCI. — JAN. 1849. D 



