466 Scientific Intelligence. [Dec. 



II. Interior of Spain. 



The middle parts of Spain, consisting of the two Castiles, and 

 several contiguous provinces, constitute a high tabular land, the 

 climate of which is much colder than might be expected from the 

 latitude. We have seen in the preceding table that the mean tem- 

 perature of Madrid is only 59°, though it is situated farther to the 

 south than Naples, where the mean temperature is 64 - 4°. Accord- 

 ing to M. Bauza (as quoted by Humboldt), the mean height of the 

 barometer at Madrid is 27'92'.i English inches. This, according to 

 HumboIoTs calculation, gives a height of 1248 English feet above 

 the level of the sea. If we consider this as the mean height of the 

 interior tabular land of Spain, we need not be surprised at the 

 difference between the mean temperature of that country, and of 

 the south of Spain, where the country is low, or of Naples, which 

 is in the same predicament. It seems in general to hold, at least 

 in this country, that for every 280 feet of elevation the thermometer 

 sinks one degree. According to this law, the mean temperature of 

 Madrid ought to be 4*4° lower than that of Naples; but we see 

 from the preceding table that it is 5*4° lower. 



III. Highest Point of Spain. 



According to Humboldt, the highest mountain in Spain is not 

 Mount Perdu, in the Pyrenees, as has been hitherto supposed, but 

 the Mulahacen, which forms part of the Sierra Nevada of Grenada. 

 This peak, according to the measurement of Don Clemente Roxas, 

 is 59S4-4 English feet above the level of the sea, while Mount- Perdu 

 is only 5784*2 English feet above the same level. 



IV. Height of Mountains. 



It is well known that the highest mountains in Europe are the 

 Alps, and that Mont Blanc, the highest of the Alps, is 15,603 

 English feet above the level of the sea. The Pyrenees seem to 

 come in the next place after the Alps. The highest summit, known 

 by the name of Pic Blanc, is elevated rather more than 10,000 

 English feet. Next to the Pyrenees, the highest chain in Europe 

 is that which separates Norway from Sweden, known in this country 

 by the name of the Doffrine Hills. The following are the heights 

 of the highest of these mountains, according to the most accurate 

 recent measurements : — 



Syltoppen 6652 Eng. feet 



Sulitelma 6178 



Olmajolos , 5543 



Oreskutan .~% . 5308 



But several mountains occur in Europe higher than any of the 

 Doffrines. Thus Mount ^Etna exceeds 10,000 feet. None of the 

 mountains in Germany seem to rise to a great height. Schneekop^ 

 the highest summit of the Riesengebirge, is stated at 4950 feet. 1 



