the foliage of the bushes is to a considerable extent replaced ‘ 
_of the trees preserve their foliage throughout the year. But | 
year vegetation appears dead and the (ae see barren, 
Even on the sea-coast there is no great. quantity of trees ; 
by spines ; and the desolate character is intensified by” the. 
wildness of the naked mountains untouched by sea- breezes. Ss ae 
Tropical forms of plants are nowhere found. AE ee 
22.8) he Antarctic Forest-Region. Reet. 3 4 
\ ay 
The Antarctic flora may be compared with that of thes me 
north of Europe and of the European Alps. As in northern : § 
Europe, the equatorial currents of moist air alternate i irregu-_ Ss 
larly with the clear sky of the polar currents ; and the rainfall _ 
is, In consequence, distributed through all the seasons of the » 4 
year, and vegetation is usually plentifully supplied with — 
moisture. But since this rainfall is associated with a milder 
winter than in the northern hemisphere, the greater number 
notwithstanding this uniform temperature, there is, even in — 
southern Chile, where snow and frost are unknown, a distineeet a 
period of repose of vegetation during the winter. While - 
even in the last (Chilian transition) region an increase in the _ 
vigour of vegetation coincides with the rainy season, the 
deciduous trees here lose their leaves at the time when — a 
the greatest quantity of rain falls and the cmp is also 
falling. 
The Antarctic region may be divided into a northern. - 
and a southern zone. Forest prevails everywhere. © Tas the — 
northern zone, which includes also the.island of Chiloé, the | 4 
forest 1 1S composed of a ee number of trees belonging to | 
ware ts a 
and even RAiibbOR lianes and parasites cover the stem 
and fill up the space, as in the tropical forests, but not wit 
the same abundance of forms. In the southern: zone, on t 
other hand, almost the only trees are beeches ; but sin 
the most common deciduous species, hei: antarctic 
