lEELAND 895 



tionally wet years its harvest has had to be postponed to the middle of October, 

 whilst the oats have been as late as November. Under the same latitude in Russia 

 the cereals are sown later and harvested a month or forty days earlier. Such is the 

 contrast produced b}' differences of climate ! But these disadvantages are attended 

 by corresponding privileges. The woods, meadows, fields, and gardens are clad 

 with verdure throughout the year, and entitle Ireland to the epithets of " Green 

 Erin " and the " Emerald of the Seas." The rich verdure, murmuring streams in 

 every valley, mists spread over the hillsides, and clouds scudding along the skies 

 impart an aspect of sadness and placidity to nature which impresses the mind in the 

 same manner as do the sweetly melancholic strains of Irish melod}'.* The equability 

 of the climate enables many southern types of plants to flourish upon the island. 

 The inhabitants of Mediterranean countries, when they visit the Lakes of Killarney, 

 are surprised to see the strawberry-tree growing on the hillsides. Even in the 

 north of the island winter in the valleys sheltered against northerly winds is very 

 mild, the strawberry growing by the side of the cypress, as it does in Italy. 

 Ireland, as respects a portion of its flora, forms part of Lusitania, for about 

 ten species, including the arbutus, or strawberry-tree, are common to it and to the 

 Azores, Madeira, Portugal, and the Cantabrian coast. This points to the fact that 

 there was a time when Ireland formed part of territories now severed from it by 

 an irruption of the sea. Almost every one of the islands along the west coast 

 has a flora of its own, with which mingle plants from neighbouring botanical 

 regions, t 



Ireland was formerly clad with forests, as is proved not only by the trunks of 

 trees found in the bogs, but also by many geographical names, such as Derry, 

 which means " Grove of Oaks." These forests disappeared in consequence of 

 wars and maladministration. Even during the Middle Ages wood had become so 

 scarce that in certain districts of the island it was cheaper to make the hoojjs for 

 barrels of whalebone. In the west, and more especially in the county of Mayo, 

 trees were so scarce about thirty years ago that the peasants imagined them to be 

 huge vegetables. Ireland is poorer in species of plants and animals than Great 

 Britain, and still more so than continental Europe, this being one of the penalties 

 attached to an insular position. In Belgium, for instance, we meet with twenty- 

 two species of reptiles ; in England with scarcely half that number ; in Ireland 

 with only five. Forbes concludes that these animals migrated westward along 

 the isthmus which formerly attached the British Islands to the continent. When 

 the sea swept away the connecting land all of these animals had not yet emigrated, 

 or, at all events, the colonies which they had planted were not numerous enough 

 to resist destructive agencies. The Irish peasants — a very superstitious race — 

 believe that serpents and toads formerly abounded on their island, but that 

 St. Patrick destroyed them. The promontory from which he flung them into the 

 sea is still pointed out, and although the experience of our zoological gardens 



* Thackeray, " Irish Sketch-Book. 



t G. '^loxe, Proceedings of the Eoyal Irish Academy, July, 1876; Charles Martins, Bcvue dts Beux- 

 Mondes, 1st March, 1867. 



