WITH ALTITUDE. 81 



would become more long than interesting as we descend 

 to the low grounds. 



" All these species descend to the low grounds about the 

 lakes, except the following, the inferior limit of which 

 appears to be at or about the heights added to their 

 names : — /S'axifraga stellaris, 500 ft. ; $alix herbacea, 

 2400 ft. ; j^'mpetrum nigrum, Carex rigida, 2200 ft. ; 

 Alchemilla alpina, 400 ft. to 600 ft. ; Rhodiola rosea, 

 700 ft.; tftatice Armeria, about 1000 ft. or 1200 ft.; 

 jThalictrum alpinum, probably 1200 ft.; Cochlearia danica; 

 Epilobium alsinifolium, 700 ft. ; Oxyria reniformis, 450 ft. 

 Silene acaulis and /Saxifraga oppositifolia were only seen 

 in one station, and are fixed at about 2000 ft. by guess, 

 ./uncus triglumis and Arbutus IPva-ursi were also seen 

 in only one station, not actually measured. The lake at 

 Keswick is estimated to be 228 ft. above the sea ; that of 

 Thirlmere is nearly 500 ft. All the other species were 

 seen at or nearly on the level of one of these lakes. The 

 early period at which the hills were visited would no 

 doubt prevent my seeing all the species towards their 

 summits, in the hollows near to which some patches of 

 snow still lingered at the end of May, but quite disap- 

 peared before the second week of June. Excluding the 

 ferns, we have, above 3000 ft., only 13 species; between 

 2000ft. and 3000ft., 53 species; and between 1000ft. 

 and 2000 ft., there were 150, or more. Now, by ob- 

 servations in the Highlands of Scotland last autumn (see 

 the preceding pages 72. to 79.), there are at these heights 

 on the Scottish mountains, 80, 183, and 273 species. 

 The small extent of surface elevated above 1000 ft. or 

 1500 ft. in the county of Cumberland, the dryness of 

 the mountain summits, and the comparative paucity of 

 elevated valleys, deep chasms, and rocky precipices, will 

 no doubt explain the numerical deficiency in its mountain 

 flora. Up to 1000 ft. the vegetation of Cumberland is 

 e 5 



