93 



CHAPTER V. 



THE WARMER TEMPERATE ZONE. 



FROM LAT. 45 TO 34. 



IN this zone vegetation is in a transition state. In travel- 

 ling through Europe, no sooner do we find ourselves on the 

 southern side of the Pyrenees or the Alps, than we are 

 conscious of a change. The eye is not so often refreshed 

 by the sight of green meadows, but numerous evergreen 

 trees and shrubs bear witness to the increased warmth of 

 the temperature ; and even in winter give a beauty to the 

 landscape unknown to us in our colder zone. Perhaps the 

 new aspect which nature wears in Southern Europe is occa- 

 sioned, more than by anything else, by the Chestnut-forests 

 and groves of Olive-trees and Laurels. Beautiful evergreen 

 Oaks too are now a frequent sight, such as the Bitter 

 Oak, or Mossy-cupped Oak (Quercus Cerris], the Cork Oak 



