FOUNTAINS AND FJELDS. lid 



draba, saxifraga, gentiana, primula, and poa, besides other 

 genera belonging to rammculaceae, cruciferae, caryophyl- 

 laceae, leguminosae, compositae, gramineae, lichenes, and 

 musci. On some of t;ie Alps we find flowering plants 

 reaching to the height of between 10,000 and 11,000 feet 

 or more. Schlagintweit found, on the central and southern 

 Alps, at from 10,650 to 11,700 feet, androsace glacialis, 

 A. helvetica, cerastium latifolium, cherleria seloides, 

 chrysanthemum alpinum, gentiana bavarica, ranunculus 

 glacialis, saxifraga bryoides, S. oppositifolia, and silene 

 acaulis. The extreme limit of mosses in the Alps is in 

 general little above that of phandrogamous plants. The 

 last lichens are to be found on the highest summits of the 

 Alps, attached to projecting rocks, without any limitation 

 of height. 



4 On the Pyrenees the following zones are observed : 

 1. The zone of vine and maize cultivation, and of the 

 chestnut woods. 2. A zone extending from the limit of 

 the vine to about 4,200 feet, at which limit the cultivation 

 of rye ceases ; here we meet with buxus sempervirens, 

 saxifraga geum, arinus alpinus, ernica montana, &c. 3. 

 From the limit of the cultivation of esculent vegetables 

 at 4,200 feet, to the zone of the spruce fir. 4. From the 

 limit of the spruce fir zone at 6000 to 7,200 feet, charac- 

 terised by the presence of the Scotch fir. 5. From 7000 

 to 8,400 feet, is an alpine zone, characterised by the dwarf 

 juniper, draba aizoides, saxifraga bryoides, soldanella 

 alpina, juncus trifidus, &c. 6. A zone above 8,400 feet, 

 exhibits a few alpine species, as ranunculus glacialis, 

 draba nivalis, stellana cerastoides, androsace alpina, and 

 saxifraga groenlandica. 



' There are thus in lofty mountain districts evident belts 

 of vegetation. At the lower part is the region of lowland 

 cultivation, where the ordinary cultivated plants of the 

 country thrive. In cold regions this is very limited, while 

 in warm regions it is extended. To this region succeeds 

 that of trees. In high northern latitudes, as at 70, it 

 reaches to between 700 and 800 feet ; on .Etna to 6200 ; 



