i.j OF THE ANCIENTS. 19 



two, three, or five each place the former under 

 the head of Abies, and the latter under that of 

 Pinus. 



But we must not suppose that Pliny contem- 

 plated any such division. On the contrary, the 

 Spruce Fir, which stands as the very type of the 

 genus Abies, is not indigenous either in Italy or 

 Greece. Loudon, therefore, and other botanical 

 writers, are in error, when they regard the Abies 

 of the Latins as the Spruce Fir of Northern 

 nations. 



In order to ascertain what kind of tree Pliny 

 meant by the term Abies, and Theophrastus by 

 the corresponding one 'EAarr?, our best method 

 will be to inquire, in the first instance, what are 

 the species indigenous in Greece and Italy. 



In Greece Sibthorp enumerated the following : 



1. Pinus xylvestris, Scotch Fir, which he states 

 to be found in the mountains of Bithynia. As 

 this, however, has not been confirmed by succeed- 

 ing travellers, it seems doubtful whether he may 

 not have confounded with it the Corsican Pine, 

 P. Laricio, which though omitted by him, is re- 

 cognised by other botanists (Lambert, Genus Pi- 

 nus, Gussone, Flora Siculd), as existing in all the 

 southern parts of Europe. 



2. Pinus pinea, Stone Pine, \\LTVS of Dioscorides n , 

 met with on the sandy shores of Western Pelo- 

 ponnesus. 



3. Pinus maritima, Maritime Pine, YlevKrj of Dios- 



11 i. 86. 



c2 



