17 



CHAPTER II. 



BOTANICAL NOTES, 



Maltese Botanists. Books of Eeference. General Aspect 

 of the Islands. Trees and Fruits. Marine Flora. Grasses 

 and Aromatic Plants. Midsummer in Malta. Spring and 

 Summer Vegetation. Fungus Melitensis, etc. Botanical 

 Excursions in Malta. The Flora of Gozo. 



IN the year 1670, Dr. G. F. Bonamico the 

 Father of Maltese Naturalists enumerated 243 distinct 

 varieties of plants as existing in these islands. Five 

 years afterwards Dr. G. Zammit a member of the 

 Order of St. John occupied the Botanical Chair, 

 and established a Botanical Garden in the moat of 

 Fort St. Elmo. Dr. Cavallini, one of Dr. Zammif's 

 pupils published in 1698 the result of the researches 

 of Bonamico, with the addition of 83 varieties noted 

 by himself. P, Boccoue of Palermo between 1674- 

 1697 wrote ably upon the flora and fauna of Malta. 

 He has been styled the Pliny of his century. Not 

 to mention others, Peter Forskal in 1775 described 

 the plants of Egypt and Malta, and was followed 

 by J. D ; Urville in 1822. In 1825 G. E. Giacinto 



