6 



revolTing year produces some kinds peculiar to the season : 

 of Phenogamousj or Flower bearing plants, nearly eighteen 

 hundred species have been enumerated; wliiist of the 

 Crjptogamous ones, as Ferns, Mosses, Lichens, Fuci, 

 Fungi, &c. the number is nearly doubled : many of our 

 native plants possess great beauty ; some excite our ad- 

 miration by their brilliancy or delicacy of colouring ; 

 others by their singularity of structure ; many add to 

 our comforts as medicines, or by affording dyes, &c. contribute 

 to the support of the Manufacturer or Mechanic ; and the 

 whole call forth our wonder and demand our gratitude 

 to their great Architect, for tlie blessings this portion of his 

 works is continually dispensing to us. 



The Mineralogy of this country (which has lately 

 become an object of general attention and study) comprise* 

 a greater variety of subjects, than is found in most other 

 countries. " [f *(as a late popular writer remarks) the 

 stupendous Alps or Andes atford a more striking pros- 

 pect to the mind of the contemplator, we have our 

 Snowden, car Plinlimmon ; if the mines of Peru or Golconda 

 are explored for the purpose of increasing wealth, let 

 not those of more real worth and usefulness be overlooked, 

 which are to be found in almost every county in this 

 kingdom. In contrast to the Gold, the Rubies, and the 

 Diamonds of other countries, let us oppose the inex- 

 Tiaustable mines of Copper, Tin, and Lead scattered 

 through England, many of which have been constantly 

 worked for ages past, and yet at the present day shevir 

 no decline of their valuable stores. And though the 

 precious metals, Gold and Silver, do not abound here as 



* Introduction to British Zoology. 



