Page:Transactions of the Provincial Medical and Surgical Association, volume 2.djvu/104

 attain a certain height. Such as grow to a height beyond that of shrubs, in exposed situations, are all stunted, and this is the case with the common thorn used for fences. All trees have their branches directed towards the east, from the predominance of westerly winds. The only tree that seems to disregard the injurious effects of the climate, is the Pinaster Fir. The Scotch Fir suffers as much as other trees.

Botany.─In the preceding section I have taken notice of several important circumstances relating to the vegetable productions of the district. I shall only further notice this subject by giving in the appendix a list of some of the rarer indigenous plants.─(See Appendix, No. II.)

Zoology.─In so confined a district as this, it is not to be expected that there should be much of interest requiring notice under this head. The cattle are in general small, both horses, bullocks, sheep and pigs. The three latter species of stock are reared in great quantities for the markets of the district, as are also all kinds of poultry, and are sold at very low prices compared with most other places in England. Owing to the want of cover, and the comparatively small extent of corn land, the common birds, and also domestic game of all sorts, are less plentiful than in most parts of England. There are no pheasants: eagles are unknown, and hawks rare. Nightingales have never been seen in this district. The Corvus Graculus is common on the sea cliffs; but although bearing the name of the Cornish Chough, the bird is by no means peculiar to this county. Foxes are found in considerable plenty, but hares are comparatively