JULY— SEPT. 1857.] heticccn the Animal and Plant. 181 
ed in high latitudes, but on the homeward voyage as we approached 
the Orkney Islands, in the month of cold November, both animals 
became sick, suffering from Jits, The dog died of congestion of 
the brain, just as we sighted land, and towards the close of the fol- 
lowing spring the bitch, which was then in the Highlands of Scot- 
land, died I believe from the same cause. We have little reason 
to doubt that in both these cases, elevation of temperature was the 
exciting cause of disease. Of several varieties of hardy garden 
seeds imported from Englai^d in tin cases, and sown in a garden 
soil of fair quality in Kirkee this season, only a very few speci- 
mens have lived hs come above ground ; and yet the seeds looked 
fresh and healthy enitugh. In several colonies to which seeds, such 
as corn and barley, have been sent from Europe, even these sturdy 
plants suffered from the change of climate, and it was only after 
the careful culture of a few years that they began to yield an abun- 
dant return. On the other hand the agriculturist knows well the 
advantage of having seed from a limited distance, where there is 
not any considerable difference in climate involved in the change. 
Those at all conversant with a pastoral life also know the change 
in height and appearance that takes place in the Shetland breed of 
ponies, when transported young from their native shores to the 
south of Scotland or to England. Such a change of pasture and 
climate has also no little influence on the breeds of cattle and sheep. 
Indeed it is an article of our medical creed, that local climate, 
and quality of soil exercise an important influence over animal and 
vegetable life. Amid the dank exuberant vegetation of the jun- 
gle, diseases exhibiting great vascular excitement are but too com- 
mon ; amid the smoke-begrimed, tainted atmosphere of the great 
city what an enervated sickly debased race grow up, and who that 
has seen in the same sphere a few plants tortured into existence, 
can say that they looked healthy ? The heather is a sturdier plant 
than the rose or the shamrock, and in general hill tribes are en- 
dowed with a physical energy superior to that of their Neighbours 
of the plains. On a poor miserable soil, with scarce vegetation to 
cover its nakedness, we shall ever find a wretched and thinly scat- 
tered population. Looking backwards to the Geological eras of 
this venerable earth, we also find most wonderful relations, as to 
