192 VESTIGES OF THE 



upon the whole, to recede from that of Asia, "and 

 perhaps in a greater degree," adds Dr. Prichard, " from 

 that of Africa." A much greater recession is, however, 

 observed in both the botany and zoology of Australia. 



There, " we do not find, in the great masses of vegeta- 

 tion, either the majesty of the virgin forests of America, 

 or the variety and elegance of those of Asia, or the 

 delicacy and freshness of the woods of our temperate 

 countries of Europe. The vegetation is generally 

 gloomy and sad ; it has the aspect of our evergreens or 

 heaths; the plants are for the most part woody; the 

 leaves of nearly all the plants are linear, lanceolated, 

 small, coriaceous, and spinescent. The grasses, which 

 elsewhere are generally soft and flexible, participate in 

 the stiflness of the other vegetables. The greater part 

 of the plants of ]Sre\s^ Holland belong to new genera ; 

 and those included in the genera already known are of 

 new species. The natural families which prevail aie 

 those of the heaths, the protese, composita^, leguminosa?, 

 and myrtacea3; the larger trees all belong to the last 

 family." * 



The prevalent animals of Australia are not less 

 peculiar. It is well known that none above the mar- 

 supialia, or pouched animals, are native to it. The 

 most conspicuous are these marsupials, which exist in 

 great varieties here, though unknown in the elder 

 continent, and only found in a few mean forms in 

 America. Next to them are the monotremata, which 

 are entirely peculiar to this portion of the earth. Now 

 these are animals at the bottom of the mammiferous 

 class, adjoining to that of birds, of whose character and 

 organisation the monotremata largely partake, the 

 ornithorhynchus presenting the bill and feet of a duck, 



* Pricliard. 



