ENGLAND. 



527 



k?ey, and the turkey from America. The English reptiles are the frog, the toad, a species of 

 tortoise, lizards of several kinds, and serpents, some of which have been found 4 feet in length. 

 The viper alone is venomous. On the coast are found turbot, dace, soal, cod, plaice, smelt, 

 mullet, pilchards, and herring ; the basking-shark sometimes occurs on the Welsh coasts. The 

 river-fish are the salmon, trout, the char, the grayling, the samlet, the tench, the perch, and 

 many other kinds. Various parts of the coast afford shell-fish of different species. The most 

 esteemed oysters are the green oyster from Colchester in Essex, and the white oyster from 

 Milton in Kent. According to Pennant, the number of genera of British animals is 10 ; of 

 birds 48 ; of reptiles 4 ; and of fish 40, exclusive of Crustacea and shell-fish. 



14. Mineral Springs. The most famous are those of Bath, which have been known from 

 the time of the Romans ; the Hot Wells of Bristol ; and the Springs of Tunbridge, Buxton, 

 Harrowgate, Epsom, Scarboro, Leamington, and Chelteoham. These are much frequented 

 by invalids, and that numerous class of wealthy and fashionable idlers, who swarm in every 

 place of amusement and recreation in England. 



15. Jfalural Productions. A few only of the vegetable productions of England are indi- 

 genous. The most useful plants have been imported from the continent. The oak is a native 

 tree, and produces timber of the first excellence. 



16. Face of the Country. The general aspect of England is varied and delightful. In 

 some parts, verdant plains extend as far as the eye can reach, watered by copious sireams. In 

 other parts, are pleasing diversities of gently rising hills and bending vales, fertile in grain, 

 waving with wood, and interspersed with meadows. Some tracts abound with prospects of 

 the more romantic kind ; embracing lofty mountains, craggy rocks, deep, narrow dells, and 

 tumbling torrents. There are also, here and there, black moors and wide, uncultivated heaths. 

 The general aspect of Wales is bold, romantic, and mountainous. It consists of ranges of 

 lofty eminences and impending crags, intersected by numerous and deep ravines, with exten 

 sive valleys, and affording endless views of wild mountain scenery. 



POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



1. Divisions. England is divided into 40 shires or counties; and AVales into 12.* These 

 are subdivided into Hundreds. The hundred is a division varying in size ; it was established 

 probably by the Saxons, originally, it is thought, comprising 100 free heads of families. These 

 are subdivided into parishes. Some large parishes are divided into townships. A city is a 

 town incorporated, which either is, or has been, the see of a bishop. Every town, that sends 

 a burgess to Parliament, is a borough. 



2. Canals. Almost every part of England is intersected by canals. Their total number 

 is between 2 and 3 hundred, but many of these are small. Their total length amounts 

 at present to more than 2,600 miles. The longest extends from Liverpool on the Mersey, to 

 Leeds on the Humber, 130 miles, affording a navigation for vessels of 30 tons con)pletely 

 across the island. It has 2 tunnels and many locks. The Grand Junction Canal extends 

 from the neighborhood of London, to the Oxford Canal ; it is 93 miles long, and has 2 tun- 

 nels ; one above a mile, and the other nearly 2 miles in length ; it has 101 locks. The 

 Grand Trunk is a part of the same communication ; it is 93 miles in length, and has 4 tun- 

 nels, amounting to 2 miles. The Jlshhy de la Zouch Canal is 40 miles long, extending from 

 the Coventry Canal to an iron railway. It has 2 tunnels, 2 aqueduct bridges, and an iron 

 railway branching from it. The Bridgewaler Canal is 40 miles in length, and extending from 

 the Mersey, divides into 2 branches one terminating at Manchester, and the other at Pen- 

 nington. This, with the Trent and Mersey Canal., forms a communication of 70 miles ; 16 

 miles of this canal are under ground among the mountains. Our limits will not permit us to 

 give further details. The canals of England communicate with one another, and afford im- 

 mense facilities for internal commerce. 



* J^orthern Counties. Northumberland ; Cumberland ; 

 Durham; Yorkshire, wilh .3 divisions called Ridings; 

 Westmoreland ; Lancashire. 



Western Covnties. Cheshire ; Shrooshire ; Hereford- 

 ehire ; Monmouthshire. 



Midland Counties. Nottinghamshire ; Derbyshire ; Staf- 

 fordshire ; Leicestershire; Rutlandshire; Northainplon- 

 shire ; Warwickshire ; Worcestershire ; Gloucestershire ; 

 Oxfordshire ; Buckinghamshire ; Bedfordshire. 



Eastern Counties. Lincolnsliiip ; Hnntinp;dnn?hire ; 



Cambridgeshire ; Norfolk ; Suffulk ; Essex ; Hertford 

 shire ; Middlesex ; Kent. 



Sovthrrn Counties. Surrey ; Sussex ; Berksliire ; Wilt- 

 shire ; Hampshire ; Dorsetshire ; Somersetshire ; Devon- 

 shire ; Cornwall. 



Wai-fs. North. Flinlshire : Denbighshire ; Caernarvon- 

 shire ; Anolesey ; Merionellishire ; IVIontg-omeryshire. 

 South. Radnnrshire ; Cardiijansliire ; reiiibrokeshire ; 

 Caermarthenshire ; Brccknockshiie ; Glamorgansliire. 



