io(. \'E(;iETA'rioN ox Till': r>(;)i\'i;F. di-: T;isLiyi"i'i:. 



On tlie small storm-lashed promontory-, which projects 

 a iew hundred \'ards further into tlie sea and is known 

 as Pointe de I'lslette. we lind that all ^'elJ■etable lite 

 ijradiialU vanishes. In this exposed position the struyt^le 

 for existence becomes ever liarder tdi: plants, and tlie\- 

 shoAA' outAvard sisfiis of the peril in ^^'l"licll the^' live. 

 Since all plants whicli rise i^iibove the g^round here are 

 iable to be destro\ed, advantage is taken of each 

 cre\icc: the\' lie prostrate, their stems are creepiiiL,'' 

 and knotted, and often present the most extraordinar\- 

 appearance. The rliaracter of the xe^etation is reiiiark- 

 abh' like that of alpine regions, and \\-e might imagine 

 oursehes to be thousands of feet above sea le\el \\-ere 

 it not for tlie blue sea \\ashing up so close to us. The 

 stunted ?\Iai.|uis jjlants disappear gradualh', for e\'en the\- 

 can exist here onh' in sheltered clefts in the rocks. In 

 man\" places ^\•e still find a \ ellow I/ichen. the Lrr/W/ii, 

 forming round spots on the bare rbcks. h'urther on. 

 where the sea \A-ashes up on all sides into the interstices 

 of the -weatlier-beaten rocks, we are confronted In' (_|uite 

 different representati\'es of tlie \'egetable A^'orld — the 

 marine algae, those dwellers in the deep, which are so 

 rich in form and colour. 



On our return \\e are struck b\ the sharp contrast 

 between this barren proinontor\- and the prolusion (tf 

 foreign plants in the Hotel garden. In front of the 

 house stand exceptionalh tine buslies' of "Marguerites"' 

 I i'ln-vsaiillicmitjii fridcscois) from the Canaries. Tl"ie\" 

 are rounded, nearlv two \-ards high and crowded with 

 tliousands of white, slarlike, ra\ed llower-heads. 7\-iir- 



