294 
DARTMOOR. 
in its southern that of fertility. Now, as we have 
already had occasion to observe, the animal part 
of the creation is almost entirely dependent on the 
vegetable world, whilst the vegetable kingdom in 
its turn is dependent on inorganic matter. Accord¬ 
ingly, if it appears that the northern division of our 
limits is incalculated from the nature of its super¬ 
ficial soil to maintain vegetable life except in a 
limited degree; so also it is obvious that the 
animal productions of this spot must be likewise 
restricted. The central districts of Dartmoor pre¬ 
sent to the eye a series of hills of great size covered 
with detached blocks of granite. On the summits 
of many of these hills are found swamps, and even 
pools of great depth, and between them streams 
pass on for future coalescence, and where the sur¬ 
face is level for a sufficient space, the drainings of 
the country rest and form morasses and lakes. 
Altogether, Dartmoor and its vicinity presents a 
large proportion of water, since it appears that five 
principal rivers, twenty-four secondary streams, 
fifteen brooks, two lakes, and seven heads are 
found on it. 
The Flora of this wild district consists with but 
few exceptions of the lower tribes, such as mosses, 
ferns, lichens, &c., and of such plants as are pe¬ 
culiar to marshes and other collections of water. 
The soil cannot possibly support many of the higher 
orders, but the beauty, variety, and luxuriance of 
those vegetable forms which mantle the rude blocks 
of granite, spring from the spongy soil of the bogs 
and marshes, raise themselves into notice above the 
stream, or maintaining their existence in the body 
of the current attached to some fixed point, move 
in conformity with its undulations, are sufficient to 
attract the notice of even the incurious. In this 
sterile spot the most common creature excites re- 
