KAMTSCHATKA. 305 



on the inoimtains, the temperature of tlie earth is 

 warmer, but in the south less warm than the mean 

 temperature of the air.'* 



On the coast we visited, only the direct heat of 

 the sun, and the temperature of the air, during the 

 summer, could support the vegetation on an eter- 

 nally-frozen earth. Shall we suppose the cold of 

 the winter to be so severe there, that the mean 

 temperature of the air could still fall below the 

 temperature of the earth ? The siglit of nature on 

 these coasts, in the absence of all meteorological 

 observation, contradicts the above law, which, if 

 proved for Europe, seems to be unfavourable to 

 the hypothesis ventured by us, according to which 

 the mild climate of this part of the world is owing 

 to the warmer air which passes over it. 



Steller, whom Pallas calls immortal, first de- 

 veloped, under Beering, the natural history of this 

 country and these seas ; and Merk, under Billing, 

 iionourably followed his example. Other learned 

 men and collectors have explored Kamtschatka 

 more at their ease, and Oonalashka has been 

 visited. The names of Steller and Merk have re- 

 tained all their lustre. Of their botanical collec- 

 tions much has remained unpublished, particularly 

 in the herbaries of Lamberti, Willdenow, and G6- 

 renki. Pallas, in the Zoographia Rossica, as far 

 as it went, (to the middle of the fishes,) has col- 

 lected every thing relating to zoology. With due 

 respect to our predecessors, we shall make but a 



VOL. III. X 



