10 Europe: — a popular Physical Sketch. 



tively speaking ascend so high up the Alps as it extends 

 to the north in Scandinavia, for it ceases in the Alps 

 at the elevation of the beech, and the zone of the pines 

 is characterized by pasture, whereas the beech in Scan- 

 dinavia extends not only to 59°, but cultivation extends to 

 70°, consequently as much to the northward as the pines. 

 Corn thrives there at a mean temperature below the freez- 

 ing point, but ceases in the Alps at situations where the range 

 of temperature is higher. This phenomenon is of course 

 to be ascribed to the greater summer heat of Scandinavia. 

 The Alps possess maize and vine, which Scandinavia does 

 not ; the pastures on the Alps are richer, and consequently 

 grazing is carried on to a greater extent. 



The Pyrenees — South of the basin in which the Langue- 

 doc canal is cut, and not connected with the Cevennes nor 

 the Alps, this proportionally narrow chain of mountains 

 extends from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic ocean. The 

 southern boundary is formed by the Ebro valley. The 

 chain, situated between 42° 30' and 43° 30' N. L. is 220 

 miles in length, and 48 miles in breadth, and extends in a 

 direction from ESE. to WNW. a different course from 

 that of the Alps, but still it approaches a line from E. to 

 W. The Pyrenees are exposed to the influence of the 

 sea more than the Alps, but less than the Scandinavian 

 mountains. 



The mean elevation of the central, which is the highest 

 part, is 7466 feet. The loftiest peaks are 



Vignemale, 10,986 ft. 



Mont Perdu, •• ... 11,200 



PicPosets, 11,304 



Pic Nethou (Maladetta,) 11 ,413 



Montcalm, ... 10,667 



Canigon, 9,174 



The extent of the Pyrenees is consequently much smaller 

 than that of the Alps, the Scandinavian mountains, or the 



