284 
entific researches, arrived in the Canaries: 
their intimacy commenced from that period. 
Teneriffe was explored anew ; and then, 
during two following years, the principal 
islands of this Archipelago were suc- 
cessively visited. Rich in numerous col- 
lections, and in the drawings of every kind 
which they executed, these two travellers 
returned to Europe towards the close 
of 1830; and the three next years having 
been devoted to uniting and coalescing 
their materials, the publication is to be 
immediately commenced. 
After noticing the nature of the His- 
torical Introduction, the Geography, Geo- 
logy, and Zoology of the "ee Islands, 
the Editor proceeds to the department 
of their 
BOTANY. 
Placed on the confines of the temperate 
zone, the Canary Islands possess a peculiar 
Flora : in this latitude, the greater number 
of the plants assume already a different 
aspect and character; the species are more 
developed, woody, and often even arbo- 
nt ; | some are single types of 
certain genera, which have hitherto been 
only seen in these islands. The assem- 
blage of all these peculiarly Canary 
Island plants, on the limited spot which 
produces them, renders this country a real 
region of Botany. Among these varied 
vegetable forms, there are some which 
combine the Flora of this Archipelago 
with that of the Atlantic countries, and 
especially with Western Africa: others, 
again, which, by their aspect or generic 
affinity, approach the inter-tropical plants ; 
while a certain number, belonging to the 
species of Southern unite this 
vegetation with that of the Mediterra- 
h These various considera- 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
cies, and the insulated habitats that others 
affect; the difference of the soil, exposure 
and the height at which they grow, are all 
so many considerations which swell the 
importance of the study, when, after 
having investigated in detail the scattered. 
vegetation of this Archipelago, it becomes 
desirable to catch a general view of its 
distribution, 
M 
M. Webb and Bertholot have in- 
vestigated all the principal islands of the 
groupe, under the several relations that we 
have now indicated; and the number of 
species that have rewarded their long 
excursions, much exceeds the five hundred. 
and thirty-five which M. Von Buch had 
named as the sum total of the Flora of the 
anaries. Our two Botanists have brought 
away about one thousand flowering plants, 
besides a large collection of Cryplogamia ; 
and of this number, more than one hun- 
and fifty species are either entirely new, or - 
very little known. Such results are a 
manifest proof of the perseverance of their 
researches, especially when it is considered 
that several excellent Botanists were in 
the field before them: among whom was 
Masson, one of the most active of col- 
lectors; Broussonet, so well known for the 
services he rendered to science; M. 
de St. Vincent, whose name is ee 
hristian Smith, — 
whose valer death a Phytologists — 
cient eulogium 
have had reason to deplore 
MM. Webb and Bertholot have spared 
no labour to render this portion of tbeir — 
labours worthy of the science to which 2 
they are so peculiarly partial. The species 
which compose their collections have been 
determined and classed, by a reference t | 
the best sources; in order to ascertain 
exactly all that had been published by 
their predecessors, and to decide on the | 
validity of their discoveries. The text of i 
the phytographic portion, already in a state — 
of considerable forwardness, will be m 
Latin, on the model of Humboldt and : 
