370 Analysis of' Scientific Books and Memoirs. 



Situated in the midst of such grand operations of nature, Sicily must be 

 exposed to all the effects which such powerful causes are capable of pro- 

 ducing. The chemical subterranean operations require that the earth 

 should every where be traversed by vast cavities and canals, running in 

 various directions ; and the forces of the operations act on the different 

 parts of these cavities. But it is natural to believe, and many facts in this 

 memoir demonstrate the truth of it, that places in the vicinity of the 

 three great volcanic outlets, ordinarily feel the force with the greatest vio- 

 lence. In this respect, the situation of Palermo is very advantageous ; 

 since it is distant from ..Etna, and from Eolia, and it is near to Sciacca 

 only, which is the least energetic. And this grand and respectable city- 

 would be less exposed to such grievous disasters, than all the other cities 

 of Sicily, did its edifices possess that character, which they might easily 

 be made to possess, which constitutes true solidity and resisting firm- 

 ness. 



HI. — Schow's Essay on Botanical Geography. Copenhagen. 1823. 

 (Concluded from last Number, p. ICy'l.) 



III. Regmtm Labiatarum, et Caryojihyllearum, the Midland Flora, 

 {Flora Mediterranean This region is bounded on the north by the Py- 

 renees, the mountains of the south of France, the Alps, and the moun- 

 tains of the north of Greece, and thus includes the three Peninsulas of the 

 south of Europe, the Pyrenffian Peninsula, Italy, and Greece ; besides, there 

 belong to it Asia Minor and its Islands, Egypt and the whole of the north of 

 Africa, as fur as to the Deserts; lastly, the Canary Islands, Madeira, and 

 the Azores. That which especially marks this region, is the great abund- 

 ance of the two families mentioned above, the iAibiatce (in a strict sense) 

 and the Cnryophyllex which, as well towards the north as towards the 

 south, as also in North America on the same parallel, are proportionally 

 much rarer. To its characteristic forms there belong further, Compositee, 

 Stellatae, Aspcrifoliai ; although they are also found in a similar propor- 

 tion in other parts of the earth possessing a similar climate. Muny tro- 

 pical families appear here, either with single representatives, or several 

 species, as Fulma; Iitturinew, Aroidea, Ttrebinthaeece, Panitew, Cyperacew 

 proprice; families, which decrease from the Equator towards the poles, 

 are here more numerous than in the north of Europe, for instance, Solanea?, 

 Leguminoso', Malvacew, Urlicew, Euphorbiacew- The forests consist chief- 

 ly of Amen/acea and Coniferce, the underwood of Myrtinew, Ericacea, 

 Terebinthacea, &c. A number of evergreen trees show themselves; ve- 

 getation never entirely ceases; green meadows are more rare. The sub- 

 floras belonging to this, are the Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, in which 

 may be reckoned the south of France, the Grecian, the Levantine, or that 

 of Asia Minor, the Egyptian, the Atlantic, that of Canary, which pro- 

 bably might also include that of Madeira and of the Azores. But these 

 Floras reciprocally run so into each other, that it is difficult here to define 

 the provinces. However, it appears most proper to admit the following 



