't. 



184 



species of Eulalia, several feet in height, and in the north, as at Nikko, 

 the country is mountainous and wooded. At Nagano (in the Shinshiu 

 district) he had seen hills of chalk or plaster and described how hot 

 had been the road cut along the face of those hills. In the south the 

 ranges of hills were largely barren, sometimes formed apparently of 

 coarse diluvial drift and conglomerate, at others largely of sand. 



The rivers from the mountains frequently do great damage in the 

 plains when suddenly swollen by the rains, or melting snows, and large 

 sums of money are spent yearly on embankments and improvements in 

 the channels. On some of the plains the rivers have been raised by the 

 silt deposited by their waters, and the continual heightening of the 

 embankments, until (as ;.t Lake Biwu) the railway across the plain goes 

 under the beds of the rivers by tunnels. When unusual floods, or earth- 

 quakes occur the embankments may be burst and much loss of property 

 and life result. 



The flora and fauna of the empire were described by Mr. Harring- 

 ton as very rich in interesting species, and he had often thought how 

 ihe botanists especially of the Field -Naturalists' Club, would have 

 revelled in the scenes presented. Trees were very numerous, of great 

 viriety of foliage and often of very large size. Of conifers the most 

 striking had been seen at Nikko, where the famous temples and tombs 

 in honour of the first and third Shoguns, are embowered in magnificent 

 groves, and the avenues and courts are lined with gigantic specimens, 

 with trunks four, five, six or even up to eight feet in diameter. These 

 trees are about 250 years old, showing that the growth of this species is 

 rapid. At one of the shrines at Nikko stands a beautiful Koya-maki, 

 or umbrella pine (ySciadopitys verticillata), now several feet in diameter, 

 which is said to have been a pot plant belonging to lyeyasu, the first 

 Shogun. The old highways of Japan were generally lined with fine 

 trees forming veritable avenues, thronged by the travelling nmltitudes. 

 Such an avenue of Cryptomerias {C. japotiica)\fxdi?> up to the sacred 

 groves of Nikko, the last six miles being especially imposing. 



It is a favourite habit of the Japanese to train out on supports the 

 branches of one of the species of pines, until the extent of their spread 

 is wondertul. Such a tree was seen at the Kurodani monastery (Kyoto), 

 upon which, the priests relate, Nazane hung his armour when, about 



