VEGETATION. 
119 
probing with their spiral tongues the yellov'- 
pyramids of stars which gladden the dull earth. 
The scarcity of land-shells may possibly be owing 
to the barren granitic nature of the hills, and also 
to the high state of cultivation of the plains and 
valleys. On the hills we breathe very pure air, 
and gaze on picturesque rugged rocks, but see few 
dowers and no blooming heather ; nor does the red 
sandy loam below reveal the outline of faiiy tarn 
or lakelet. Snails are said to have great partiality 
for limestone, but here all is granite. The vegeta- 
tion, moreover, is never varied or luxuriant enough 
to supply the wants of any great herbivorous snails 
whose pahulum vitce is leaves. On upland slopes 
the pale yellow stars of Chrysanthemum chinense 
may attract the eye, and sometimes a modest violet 
peeps out from beneath the shelter of a clod, or a 
dull purple crowfoot is seen, or a little deep blue 
gentian emerges from the sandy loam. The rest 
of the vegetation is made up of burdock, Avorm- 
wood, toadflax, and hawkweed, and the sandy 
parts are covered with a hard spiky grass. 
