july — sept. 18-57.] between the Animal and Plant. 1S1 



eJ 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 England in tin cases, and sown in a garden 

 soil of fair quality in Kirkee this season, only a very few speci- 

 mens have lived to come above ground ; and yet the seeds looked 

 fresh and healthy enough. In several colonies to which seeds, such 

 as corn and hurley, 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 



