126 



TRAVELS IN BRAZIL,, 



Note 2. 



Mr. Von Humboldt (Travels, vol. i.) was the first who 

 distinguished in the vegetation of TenerifFe five zones, one 

 above the other : the first, that of the vine, extends from 

 the sea-shore to the elevation of from two to three hundred 

 toises ; the second, that of the laurel, reaches from this to 

 the height of nine hundred toises ; then comes that of the 

 pines, four hundred toises in breadth ; the fourth, of the 

 broom [Spartium nubigenum) ; and lastly, that of the 

 grasses. Von Buch (on the Flora of the Canary Islands, 

 in the Memoirs of the Berlin Academy, 1816, 1817,) in 

 like manner distinguishes five regions of vegetation in the 

 islands of TenerifFe, Canaria, Palma, Gomera, and Ferro ; 

 the great elevation of which above the sea implies various 

 zones of climate. We endeavour to point out the same 

 divisions or zones in Madeira ; in which we assume, for the 

 middle temperatures, with the exception of those well known 

 in the lowest zone, the results of Howard's calculation, 

 according to which the temperature decreases 1.2 cent, 

 for every 106 toises as you recede from the surface of the 

 earth. The four forms of vegetation to be observed in 

 Madeira, correspond with those in the Canaries, but are 

 of inferior breadth. 



FIRST REGION. 



The Canaries : African Zone of the Cactus and Eu- 

 phorbia, one thousand two hundred feet above the 

 surface of the sea ; mean temperature 21.25^ to 21. 

 50^ cent. 



Madeira : Zone of the Tropical Plants, seven hundred 

 feet above the surface of the sea; mean temperature 

 20. 40*=^ cent. 



