The universal geography : earth and its inhabitants

IEEL.VXD. 395
tionally wet years its harvest has had to be postponed to the middle of October,
whilst the oats have been as late as November. Under the same latitude in Russia
the cereals are sown later and harvested a month or forty days earlier. Such is the
contrast produced by differences of cUmate ! But these disadvantages are attended
by corresponding privileges. The woods, meadows, fields, and gardens are clad
with verdure throughout the year, and entitle Ireland to the epithets of " Green
Erin " and the " Emerald of the Seas." The rich verdure, murmuring streams in
every valley, mists spread over the hillsides, and clouds scudding along the skies
impart an aspect of sadness and placidity to nature which impresses the mind in the
same manner as do the sweetly melancholic strains of Irish melody,* The equability
of the climate enables many southern types of plants to flourish upon the island.
The inhabitants of Mediterranean countries, when they visit the Lakes of Killarney,
are surprised to see the strawberry-tree growing on the hillsides. Even in the
north of the island winter in the valleys sheltered against northerly winds is very
mild, the strawberry growing by the side of the cypress, as it does in Italy.
Ireland, as respects a portion of its flora, forms part of Lusitania, for about
ten species, including the arbutus, or strawberry-tree, are common to it and to the
Azores, Madeira, Portugal, and the Cantabrian coast. This points to the fact that
there was a time when Ireland formed part of territories now severed from it by
an irruption of the sea. Almost everj' one of the islands along the west coast
has a flora of its own, with which mingle plants from neighbouring botanical
regions, t
Ireland was formerly clad with forests, as is proved not oulj- by the trunks of
trees found in the bogs, but also by many geographical names, such as Derry,
which means "Grove of Oaks." These forests disappeared in consequence of
wars and maladministration. Even during the Middle Ages wood had become so
scarce that in certain districts of the island it was cheaper to make the hoops for
barrels of whalebone. In the west, and more especially in the county of Mayo,
trees were so scarce about thirty years ago that the peasants imagined them to be
huge vegetables. Ireland is poorer in species of plants and animals than Great
Britain, and still more so than continental Europe, this being one of the penalties
attached to an insular position. In Belgium, for instance, we meet with twenty-
two species of reptiles ; in England with scarcely half that number ; in Ireland
with only five. Forbes concludes that these animals migrated westward along
the isthmus which formerly attached the British Islands to the continent. When
the sea swept away the connecting land all of these animals had not yet emigrated,
or, at all events, the colonies which they had planted were not numerous enough
to resist destructive agencies. The Irish peasants—a very superstitious race
believe that serpents and toads formerly abounded on their island, but that
St. Patrick destroyed them. The promontory from which he flung them into the
sea is still pointed out, and although the experience of our zoological gardens
• Thackeray, " Irish Sketch-Book."
t G. 'a.ore. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academii, July, 1S76; Charles Martins, Eevue dea Deuz-
Mondes, 1st March, 1867.
—