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ble-bee is sometimes seen flying about the small projecting points of rock, but it hardly hums. Flies and gnats are rather more numerous; but even these are so rare, so peaceful, and languid, that in order to see them, they must be sought for." The languor of the latter insects was shown by their not inflicting a single bite on the newly arrived visitors, who appear almost to have longed for a gnat bite, "merely for the sake of perceiving life in nature." The exceeding rarity of insect life is, however, perhaps most strikingly manifested in the circumstance, that even in carcases left on the shore, no insect larvæ are found.

The larger animals inhabiting this territory, consist of the polar bear, seldom, if ever, seen in summer, a very few rein-deer, a small number of wolves, and common foxes, with a rather larger supply of polar foxes, and of lemmings. These animals, however, rarely disturb the stillness of the scene, for, with the exception of the very rare rein-deer and the lemming, they are all nocturnal: the lemmings even, which burrow under ground," coming forth from the earth, and gliding along in straight lines, and then again vanishing into it, appear like spectres;" the propensity peculiar to this animal of moving in straight lines, according remarkably with this singular scene, and rendering its appearance little calculated to disturb the general monotony.

The only land birds known to inhabit Nova Zembla are, the snow bunting, the great snowy owl, and a species of falcon; but the shores, owing to their proximity to the continent, become in the summer season, the resort of vast numbers of sea-birds. These coasts are also peopled with various tribes of sea mammalia, including the walrus, three species of seal, the dolphin, and occasionally the narwhal, or sea unicorn.

Spitzbergen, called also East Greenland, consists of an assemblage of ice-clad islands, the general aspect of which is gloomy and sombre, though picturesque. The shores are rugged and bold, in many places consisting of lofty and inaccessible rocky cliffs, bare and black, towering to a con

siderable elevation, whilst the entire face of the country is dreary, diversified only by mountains, with sharp-pointed summits, some of which exceed 4,000 feet above the level of the sea. The long duration of sun-light causes the snow on these summits to be melted in summer; but the valleys never lose their icy coverings, and glaciers of immense size and magnificence are formed.

Yet even this inhospitable climate is not utterly destitute of vegetation, some plants being found which brave the rigour of perpetual frost; but, as will be anticipated, they are of minute size, and generally present a crabbed and wretched appearance. The dwarf willow, the most vigorous of all, here scarcely rises two inches above the ground.

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The remaining plants consist of the cochlearia, ranunculus, some species of saxifrage, &c., and several kinds of lichen.

The principal animated inhabitants of Spitzbergen are the polar bear, polar fox, and some other animals, whose range extends along the arctic circle. Its shores abound with the walrus, seal, and other marine mammalia; and its seas were at one period remarkably prolific in the Greenland whale, but these have been chased from their ancient station by the rapacity of man, and have almost deserted the vicinity of Spitzbergen.

CHAPTER XIV.

CENTRAL LINE OF MOUNTAINS IN ASIA.-ASIA MINOR.-SYRIA. -PALESTINE.-ARABIA.-ARMENIA.-CAUCASUS RANGE.

PERSIA.

Here thou behold'st

Assyria and her empire's ancient bounds,
Araxes, and the Caspian Lake; thence on
As far as Indus east, Euphrates west,

And e'en beyond: to south the Persian bay;
And inaccessible th'Arabian drouth.-MILTON.

THE Grand Central Axis, in its continuation across the vast regions of Asia, next demands our attention. We have traced the Balkan range to its termination on the extreme borders of Europe, and we find the central line prolonged in Asia Minor, by the extensive mountain system of the Taurus, which covers a large portion of the peninsula of Asia Minor, or Anatolia.

The Taurus range bears, in Mysia, the ancient names of Ida and Temnon; and in Phrygia and Bithynia, it forms the range of Olympus; whilst in its continuation in Paphlagonia, it is distinguished by the name of Olgassys. The name of Taurus is more restricted to the lofty ranges which traverse the southern portion of Asia Minor, from which many lateral branches extend. In this part is situated the extinct crater of Mount Argeus, rising up abruptly from a broad extended base, to the elevation of 13,100 feet above the level of the sea.

The mountain ranges of Asia Minor support an elevated plateau, or table land, which occupies all the central districts, presenting a succession of extensive and fertile plains, possessing, from their height above the sea, a cool and temperate climate. Between the mountain ranges and the Black Sea, a narrow strip of low land occurs, on an average about twenty-four miles in width, and covered with dense

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