442 WILLIAM Christy's 



species of Urtica, apparently annual, and quite distinct from 

 U. urens, with which it was intermixed. 



Emerging from the Chestnut region we entered that of 

 Laurels, which, on this side of the Peak, is now almost de- 

 stroyed. Only a ^ew trees remain in some of the gullies ; but 

 the forest is springing up again on the side of the mountain, 

 like a plantation of low evergreen shrubs. The species, as far 

 as they can be judged in that state, seem to be Laurns fwtens, 

 and L. Canariensis, mixed with Myrica Fay a. In the more 

 open spaces we observed a few stunted bushes of Genista, as 

 well as abundance of Cistus Monspeliensis. There were also 

 two Ferns, much resembling our British Asplenium adiantum- 

 nigrum, zxi(\. Nephrodmm filix-mas, with a profusion of the most 

 dehcious violets. These are generally larger flowered than our 

 violets in England ; but 1 could perceive no other distinction, 

 either in the present instance, or in the Madeira plant described 

 by Lowe as V. Maderensis}^ 



On this side the mountain the limit of the regions of Laurels 

 and Heaths is not very well defined. With the latter we were 

 much disappointed, the Heaths being none of them nearly so 

 large as many we had seen in Madeira. The average height of 

 the bushes did not exceed six feet, though some, perhaps, might 

 attain nearly double that size. Had they been in blossom, it 

 would a little have relieved the monotony of their appearance. 

 The ground was exceedingly rocky and uneven, the road being 

 a scarcely perceptible track, covered with loose fragments of 

 scoria, &c. so that we were compelled to ride very cautiously. 

 While passing through this region our horses were attacked by 

 a species oi Hippohosca, differing from any one I have ever seen. 

 In case it prove to be undescribed, I would propose to call it 

 H. Teydii, from the ancient native name of the mountain on 

 which alone I have observed it.^ 



species found in Madeira, which I confess I am quite unable to distinguish from 

 our English G. Ceterach. 



^ Webb and Berthelot, in their magnificent work, {vide Phytographia Canari- 

 ensis, p. 110,) mention V. odorata as indigenous to Teneriffe, but take no notice 

 of Lowe's plant, although, on some other occasions, they quote his Prodromus," 

 as at p. 8, where they reduce his Ranunculus grandifolius to a sylvan variety of 

 R. CorluseBfolius, Willd. 



' I have, since my return to England, been informed by one of our party, that 

 he subsequently saw this insect abundantly in some of the higher mountains of 

 Madeira. It is probably, therefore, a described species ; or, at any rate, will be 

 found in the Prodromus Faunae Maderensis of Mr. Lowe, whenever that work 

 appears. 



