30 



COI.OIR OF MARINE PLANTS. 



CHAP. 



Contiiiut 

 tion of 

 bliocks. 



Aiicicn 

 Cuiianaii 



Marine 



Effects of 

 llfihL 



IL sliocks coiitiniud to he felt for several j-ears, — a iilieno- 

 iiienon of rare occurrence, the agitation of the ground 

 usually ceasing after a disengagement of lava or other 

 volcanic products. The summit of the great crater, 

 called the corona, is rounded, and its height has been 

 accurately determined at 18(57 feet. The island of Lan- 

 cerota was formerly named Titeroigotra, and at the 

 time of the arrival of the Spaniards its inhabitants were 



*• more civilized than the other Canarians, living in houses 

 built of hewn stone, while the Guanches of Tencritfe 

 resided in caves. There was then a very singular 

 institution in the island. The women had several 

 husijands, each of whom enjoyed the prerogative be- 

 longing to the head of a family in succession, the others 

 remaining for the time in the capacity of common 

 domestics.* 



The occurrence, between the islands of Alegranza and 

 ."^lontana Clara, of a singular marine jjroduction with 

 light-green leaves, which was brought up by the lead 

 from a great dej)th, affords our author, in his narrative, 

 an opportunity of stating some interesting facts respect 

 nig the colouring of plants. This seaweed, growing at 

 the bottom of the ocean at a depth of 205 feet, had its 

 vine-shaped leaves as green as those of our gramineffi. 

 According to Bouguer's experiments, light is weakened 

 after a piissage of 11)2 feet, in the proportion of 1 to 

 1477"8. At the depth of 205, this fucns could only 

 have had light equal to half of that supplied I)y a candle 

 seen at the distance of a foot. The germs of several of 

 the liliacea-, the embryo of the mallows and other 



* A similar practice is stated by Mr Fraser, in his "Journal oJ 

 a Tour throiiirli tlie Himala JMoiiiitaiiis." p. 20t), to occur in seve 

 ral of the kil, provinces of India. " It is usual all over the coun- 

 try (,.r the liitui e hushaiid to purchase his wile Croni her jiarents ; and 

 the .sum thfis paid varies oC course with tlie rank of the purchaser. 

 1 he diHicuhy of laisin^' this sum, and the allcj^'ed expense of main- 

 lauiiiij: women, may in part account fur, if it cannot excuse, a most 

 di>t:nsliii^; u'Hjie, whi. Ii is universal over the country. Three or 

 lour .ir Miore hrolh.-rs many and cohahit with one woman, who is the 

 wife ..I all. They are unahle to raise the requisite sum indiviilually, 

 und ihus club llieir shares, and buy this one common spouse.' 



