TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 105 



Cornwall the Natural-History Society of Penzance has projected an excursion to 

 the Land's End, to visit the Driiidic remains of interest in that district. This they 

 have arranged so as to suit the convenience of such members who, after the Meet- 

 ing, may like to extend their visit to that locality. 



To the Members of the Association who are interested in this Section these two 

 counties must ever have peculiar features of interest. A peninsula iuttino- out 

 from the rest of England, surrounded on all sides by the Atlantic Ocean, with 

 the exception of a narrow neck of land of about thirty miles in length, must have 

 features exclusive its own. 



This position gives it a peculiarity of climate, — a circumstance which also has its 

 influence ou its vegetation as well as on its animal life. The isothermal line of 

 these counties is that of nearly the southern part of Europe. This can be best 

 appreciated in the fact that the glowworm may be seen to shine in December, and 

 strawberries not imfrequently gathered at Christmas. Perhaps there is no part of 

 Enjilaud that affords such varied contrast as may be seen in this county. The 

 wild and rocky district of the north, the uncultivated waste of Dartmoor, together 

 with the fertile valleys of the southern shores, offer every inducement to naturalists 

 to extend their researches in their interesting paths of science. 



The narrow neck of land that separates the ancient Damnonia from the rest of 

 England lies between Bridgewater Bay and Lyme Regis, a line running nearly due 

 north and south. It is one, moreo^•er, which corresponds witli the most westerly 

 limit of the Nightingale. This in itself has long been a subject of interest to the 

 inhabitants of these couuties. That it is not due to food we think is evident ; for 

 in the more northerly latitudes the sweet songster keeps nearly to the same line of 

 longitude, and appears to avoid the western district of ^^'ales also. 



The inffuence of the geological character of soil in the growth of plants 

 may be well studied here. Examples may be seen in the luxuriant condition of 

 the elm-trees, when growing in the Red Sandstone valleys of this neighbourhood; 

 while the oak may be seen to flourish as a weed in the abimdant coppice, on 

 the slaty and granitic soils of the western extremity of the county. Perhaps to 

 the botanist no more curious and interesting sight can be seen in the west than 

 that of Wistman's Wood. In the heart of Dartmoor has continued, without appa- 

 rently any young growth, a grove of oaks that have been recorded in the Duchy 

 annals within a short period of the Norman Conquest. Here for a thousand 

 years these knarled and knotted trees have spread out their branches and sent 

 forth their green leaves every year, without apparently having the power to grow 

 higher than some few feet above a tall man's head. Their roots are amongst the 

 granite boulders, from which apparently they can procure no nom-ishment. They 

 exist as one of the greatest botanical wonders of the county. 



But there are more notable distinctions than that of "geological conditions to 

 account for the distribution of plants. On the slope of the Dartmoor hiU-sides 

 every tourist must have noticed long grassy trackways where the turf has never 

 been encroached upon by the heather that luxuriantly flourished on either side. 

 Here is a suggestive hint that the chemist would be of service. It demonstrates 

 how nearly one branch of science is dependent upon another. 



There are many plants more or less common in this county, which the botanist 

 will not flnd, or only rarely, in other parts of England. 



To the zoologist, this western peninsula must have much of interest. Dr. Leach 

 and Col. Montagu stand side by side as pioneers in British zoology. They made 

 most of their collections in Devonshire, and it is but within a few weeks that their 

 old companion, Charies Prideaux of Kingsbridge, died, leaving his coUecrion, many 

 specmiens of wliich were procured in company with Dr. Leach and Col. Montaou 

 to the museum of his native town. ' ° ' 



The Reports to this Association from time to time show that in marine zoolooy 

 these western shores are among the most variedly rich in the country. '^ 



Besides the zoologist and botanist, those Members of this Section who study the 

 science of ethnology will find much to interest them in the antiquities tha't are 

 known, and which we should be among the foremost to preserve from destruction. 

 When a conspicuous monument of the old stone records is broken down, as the 

 Maen-rock of Constantine, a hue and cry is made, but there are less known, but 



