LOCAL DISTRIBUTION. 259 



of these we prefer the latter, under the impression that the 

 former would be far less suggestive and useful. 



In reference to this subject it has been well remarked by 

 Mr. Watson, in his 'Cybele Britannica/ that the county 

 divisions are too numerous, and the ancient political divi- 

 sions too few, to express, with anything like completeness 

 and precision, the actual distribution of species ; the first, 

 because our information is imperfect ; the second, because 

 the areas are too extensive. He has, therefore, in treating 

 of the more extended subject of the distribution of the 

 flowering plants, proposed another set of divisions, of in- 

 termediate extent, which he calls provinces; and as Mr. 

 Watson is to be considered our standard authority on this 

 question, we shall give his provinces, adding, however, 

 Ireland, which he has omitted, to our list, and severing the 

 western from the northern isles, as a connecting link with 

 that country. We shall thus have the United Kingdom and 

 Ireland divided in the following manner : 



Commencing at the south coast of England, a mesial line 

 is traced northwards, into the Highlands of Scotland, the 

 line corresponding with the boundaries of counties, and 

 being traced in that course which best divides the counties 

 whose rivers flow to the east coast, from those whose waters 



