432 X. GENERAL REMARKS. 



The areas of some of the native plants of this island 

 have been shown to extend over its whole length and 

 breadth ; the plants being found in every province and 

 sub-province^ under every degree of latitude and longi- 

 tude. Others are seen only in single provinces or sub- 

 provinces, or are restricted to still smaller sub-divisions. 

 Between the two extremes, between the most local and 

 the most general areas, all intermediate grades of partial 

 distribution can be traced. Between 1 province and 18, 

 between 1 sub-province and 38, between 1 county and 99, 

 every intermediate figure has been shown to be applicable 

 to some of the plants ; for instance, by the census figures 

 on pages 371 to 273. And under each degree of latitude, 

 and in each province, some species find their north or 

 their south limits, as shown on page 321, &c. AU these 

 are examples of inequality in distribution. 



What is thus true of Britain as a whole, is true also of 

 subordinate portions into which it may be subdivided, 

 perhaps with certain small local limitations not relevant 

 just now. And what is thus true of Britain in particular, 

 is true of the whole earth, and of any other of its 

 geographical divisions ; but with certain highly important 

 limitations, as, for example, in the fact that no species 

 can be held general to the whole earth, though so many 

 may be called general to the whole surface of Britain 

 horizontally, or to the whole surface of tracts more 

 extensive than this island. 



It cannot be necessary to cite facts by way of proving 

 that such inequalities of distribution prevail on the large 

 scale, as well as locally in Britain. But not to leave this 

 only an abstract statement, the unequal areas of some of 

 the ueaths may be briefly mentioned in example of it. 

 The area of Calluna vulgaris is widely extensive ; this 

 familiar shrub being spread over a large portion of 



