AND OF THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES. 



151 



ON THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS. 

 (^Concluded from p. 149.) 

 Devonshire boasts of all the English marine Grallee except seven, ona of which, 

 the Red Coot-foot, does not extend in range beyond Orkney, and the rest are either 

 stragglers or great rarities. Among the rarer Gralla; of our shores, the following 

 deserve enumeration : the Great White Heron, Purple Heron, Little White Heron, 

 Freckled Heron, Night Heron, White Stork, Black Stork, Little Bittern, Spoon- 

 bill, Ibis, Brown Snipe, Pigmy CurlevT, Temminck's Sandpiper, Little Stint, San- 

 derling, Phalarope, Greenshank, Wood Sandpiper, Stilt, Avocet, and Spotted Red- 

 shank ; and if the records of the occurrence of these birds in England be consulted, 

 it will be seen that not only are they of extreme rarity, but that some of them have 

 occurred more frequently in Devon than elsewhere. Some of our other Grallas also 

 are tolerably common, while in other parts they are scarce. What then are the rea- 

 sons of our possessing so very many rarities, and of having so many individuals of the 

 less rare birds of this division of the Grallee ? Is it because our climate is so ge- 

 nial and uniform, because our shores and harbours are so suitable for their sustenance 

 and retreat ; on account of our southern situation ; or from all these causes combined ? 

 The Oyster- catcher seems partial to the rocks and portions of the coast far out to- 

 wards the open sea, where it occurs in small parties in autumn and winter. The 

 Ringed Plover has been supposed to repair to other countries on the occurrence of 

 the winter's cold ; but in Devon, I am quite sure, it resides on the coasts of our es- 

 tuaries through the winter. The common Godwit, Limosa rufa, has been regarded 

 as a species arriving in this country in autumn, and departing in spring ; yet, be- 

 sides having received this species during winter, 1 have had it on the 10th of Blay 

 (1830), and, according to Dr Moore, four out of a brood were shot on the estuary of 

 the Tamar in June 1828. 



The web-footed birds of Devon are very numerous, compared with those of other 

 maritime counties; and yet, if we regard Devon relatively to its marine ornithology 

 alone, the greatest number of defituencies will be found amongst the present tribe ; 

 for whilst we are deficient in seven of the marine Grallaj, or nine Waders altogether, 

 out of 39, or 66 altogether, we are wanting in 13 of the Palmipedes out of 67, or 75 

 inclusive of those allowed as inland birds. This deficit of 13 makes up the number 37 

 formerly mentioned as the amount in which Devonshire was wanting in respect of the 

 whole of the British Birds. These deficient species are either rarities, or such as are 

 limited to the northern isles ; so that we may fairly state that we possess all the 

 English Birds any way common, and which are not by the laws of their physical dis- 

 tribution confined to more northern abodes, and farther that we have a very large pro- 

 portion of those rare birds which occur, however sparingly, in nearly all parts of our 

 island, or on the other hand, have been noticed a very few times in the whole of the 

 country. The following are the rarer birds of this class observed with us : — Crested 

 and Red-necked Grebes, Black-throated Diver, Black Guillemot, Little Auk, PutBn, 

 Cinereous Shearwater, Fork-tailed Petrel, Skua (one shot in September 1831 off the 

 Eddystone), Arctic Jager, Glaucous and Little Gulls, Sandwich, Arctic, Lesser, and 

 Black Terns, Goosander, Merganser, Ferruginous, Eider, Scoter, Velvet, Golden-eye, 

 Harlequin, Long-tailed, Gai'ganey, Pintail, Gadwall, and Shoveller Ducks ; Bean, 

 White-fronted, Red-breasted, Bernacle, and Brent Geese, and Wild Swan. The 

 occurrence of so many of the rarer pelagic birds on our coasts seems to allow of 

 readier explanation than that of rarities from amongst other _tribes, because we find that 

 the former are bestowed on us in most profusion and very frequently only, on the oc- 

 casion of storms, or of very severe cold. A long-continued or violent squall from the 

 south-west has afforded us specimens of the Little Auk, the two Petrels, and the 

 Phalarope. A severe winter confers on us specimens of the Wild Swan, Bean, 

 White-fronted, and Brent Geese ; Pintail, Golden-eye, Pochard, and other species 

 of Ducks. The object of nestling has likewise influence with some ; but winter is the 

 season in which by far the greater number of the web-footed species appear here ; 

 and not only do many of those reared in more northern countries migrate thus far 

 south, but others come from their breeding places in our own island. Thus, the Gan- 

 net repairs to us in winter from Lundy Island on the north of Devon, and the num- 

 bers are greatly increased if the season be severe. The Shieldrake breeds in Braun- 

 ton Burrows in the north of the county, and many individuals appear here in winter. 

 The Red-legged Gull is abundant at that season, having come from some of the 

 northern English counties, where it breeds ; it is scarce in summer, but one was shot 

 near Plymouth in the first week of March 1835. The Herring Gull breeds here, 

 and after that its numbers are lessened on our coasts until the next spring. The 

 Shearwater and the Puffin breed on Lundy Island, and are seen off our shores, and in 

 the channel, chiefly in winter. A great many of the water birds, however, occur on 

 our ooasts without our bemg able to assign any cause for their appearance, as they 

 have arrived independent of storms or severe cold. The Little Gall has been obtained 

 in England seven times, and five of the birds were from Devon. The rarer kinds of 

 Tern mentioned above have occurred without assignable causes, besides many other 

 birds; but possibly the security of our bays and harbours, together with the mildness 

 of climate, may be the attractions to such of them as lead a wandering life. 



The geographical distribution of fishes is so very imperfectly known, that but very 

 little can be offered respecting it. About 150 species have been recorded as British, 

 and of these about 30 have hitherto been taken only on the coasts of Devon 

 and Cornwall. About 60 species have come under my observation, or are known to 

 occur on the coast. Many approach our shores at fixed periods, and of these none 

 is more interesting than the Pilchard, on account of ita numbers and its importance 

 as an article of winter food to the poorer inhabitants. It appears in August, and ge- 

 nerally remains till the end of September. Its comparative scarcity with us for the 

 last few years is remarkable. 



Our subject gradually loses interest as we descend to the lower tribes. Of the 

 MoUusca we possess a considerable number. They seem to predominate, however, in 

 those portions of the ckss which characterize bold, rocky shores ; and possibly the 

 same remark holds good relatively to other tribes of marine animals. It is likely that 

 this will account for the same animal being frequently found on shores of the same 

 character, though far distant. Thus, we very often meet with shells stated to have 

 been taken on the coasts of Devon and Shetland, so that although the geography of 



shells is so very intricate, it may yet be detected that situation has much control 

 over it. The British Marine Mollusca at present may be computed at 497, of which 

 number nearly 60 are recorded as peculiar to Devon. But, as in the case of Ichthy- 

 ology, much may be set down to the want of attention to the science in other parts, 

 so ;t appears that in Conchology we have been peculiarly fortunate in the possession of 

 such observers as Montaga and Turton. 



Since the time of Montagu, but little has been done in illustration of the remaining 

 marine tribes of Devon, the Radiata, of which, however, at the present time we catti 

 boast of more than twenty species peculiar to the Devon shores ; and I have certainly 

 no doubt that this number might be greatly increased by diligent and keen research. 

 The sponges of our coast in particular require illustration ; and I am of opinion that 

 not more than three-fourths of them have been named. We see frequent instances, 

 among the lower tribes, of species peculiar to the southern shores of England, repre- 

 senting, by their general similarity, species peculiar to more northern stations. But 

 altogether these facts require elucidation and careful consideration; and no naturalist 

 should deem such matters unworthy of his attention, upon finding that detail of this 

 kind is not merely essential to the development of the laws of animal geography, but 

 that it is requisite to complete the history of species, and to become acquainted with 

 many of the laws regulating their existence and their actions, and in general operation 

 upon the entire series of living beings. 



We have shewn that our county yields to none in the importance of its Fauna, and 

 this chiefly because of the peculiar ehgibilities of its physical conditions. I do not 

 know, therefore, that it would bn of use to inquire into the relative proportions borne 

 between the various tribes, or to institute a compai'ison between the animals of the 

 south of Devon, and those of any given spot of the same extent. An answer to the 

 former question will be found only by tracing the dependence observed in nature from 

 the inorganic kingdom, to the highest conditions of organization. A competent reply, 

 indeed, cannot be given till our knowledge of the laws of life shall be greatly increased, 

 and till we recognise, as the denizens of our country, hundreds of creatures which have 

 as yet escaped notice. A comparison of our animals with those of any other district 

 would avail nothing, since any enumeration of species does not imply a knowledge of 

 the conditions which influence their situation, or control their limits. In framing 

 a list of animals inhabiting a given spot or country, it would be very right to apply 

 the principles of zoological geography. To speak of the frequency or scarcity of ani- 

 mals independent of these, is to betray ignorance to those who can judge, and to per- 

 petuate error to those who would learn. It is not questionable but that one half of 

 the lists published have been formed without regard to the circumstances causing the 

 residence or visits of animals ; nor is it doubtful, but that in asserting that an animal 

 is scarce or frequent, the authors of these lists have overlooked the fact, that it is one 

 scarce or frequent in the country as a whole, or scarce or frequent in many countries 

 conjointly. Supposing a bird stated in books, and known to be found generally as a 

 common inhabitant of England, to be recognised as such in any provincial list; it is 

 clear that no knowledge is thus communicated; and supposing that in any other dis- 

 trict it was found not quite so common, and yet reported as common in the ornitho- 

 logical catalogue of that district, it is obvious that the truth is kept back. In short, 

 the manner of these communications is altogether far too general, and deficient in the 

 necessary precision. If such terms as '* common,'' " scarce," and the like, be not 

 used relatively, and if there be not precision used in referring to the occurrence of 

 animals, but little information is imparted by these lists ; and I think also that their 

 value would be doubled, if, to the bare intimation of the frequency or scarcity of occur- 

 rence relatively to the aggregate of each animal respectively, there were added the 

 causes in operation, and a reference to the conditions by which the number is con- 

 trolled J. C. B., Yealrapton, October 5, 1837. 



BOTANY. 



Tea-tree. — In a letter from the Abbe Voisin to M. Stanislas Julien, we find a 

 statement which proves that the Tea-tree may be cultivated in our northern climates. 

 He has resided twelve years in China, near the frontiers of Thibet, in which country 

 all the species of tea are successfully cultivated in the plains, as well as on the moun- 

 tains; although the degree of cold there much exceeds that of our winters, and the 

 snow never melts before the end of April. Twenty-four treatises concerning tea 

 have been composed in Chinese, from the seventeenth century to the present time, 

 and which contain all the requisite instructions for the culture and preparation of this 

 plant, and will be translated by M. Voisin, if required in Europe — Athenmum. 



Vamlla. M. Charles Morron has succeeded in raising the Vanilla in France, 



and malting it produce fruit. He placed the plants in coke, strewn with the remains 

 of rotten willow wood. In this situation the same plant bears fruit only ^very alter- 

 nate year, and twelve months elapse between the fecundation of the flower and the 

 maturity of the fruit. — Ibid. 



Cdscuta Efilinum — A British Plant. — Mr Bowman states in the fllagazine 

 of Natural History, that having, in 1836, gathered a species of Cuscuta upon flax, in 

 a field near Ellesmere, Shropshire, and forwarded specimens to Sir W. J. Hooker, 

 the latter found it to be the Cuscuta Epilinum of Weihe. It '* may be distinguished 

 from C. Europcca, by its simple not branched habit, and by its very pale capitula or 

 heads, which are without any of the rosy tinge of the latter. These heads consist of 

 fewer flowers than in the latter species (about five), and these are large, fleshy, and 

 succulent. Both the heads and their component flowers are more decidedly sitting 

 than in C. Europaa ; the heads are subtended by a membranous, obovate, re- 

 flexed bractea, of a reddish-brown colour ; but there is no bractea under each indi- 

 vidual flower. The calyx is large and spreading, its segments thick and deltoid, al- 

 most as long as the corolla, which has very acute segments and a globose tube, even 

 before the enlargement of the germen. The filaments are also very short and very 

 acute ; beneath each of which, at the base of the corolla, is inserted a broad mem- 

 branous scale, whose jagged tips do not reach so high as the insertion of the stamens. 

 The capsule is globose, two-celled, the cells two-5eeded, and the seeds subtriquetrous 

 from compression as they swell, covered with chaffy granulations and deeply pitted. It is 

 supposed to grow exclusively on flax, and to have often been xnistaken for C, Europcea. 



