very remarkable for their extraordinary size and the symmetry of their shape. These animals form the chief vehicles for carrying burdens and for draught, and not unfrequently are seen yoked with oxen engaged in treading out corn. The Maltese are in general very careful of their beasts, and take care to supply them with a sufficiency of food.

The race of Maltese dogs, so much renowned in Europe, and called bichons by Buffon in his Natural History, is now nearly extinct. They are very small, with long glistening hair reaching down to the feet, a face covered with the same, and a turned-up nose. I acknowledge that I can see but very little beauty in these dwarfish creatures, and am led to think it is only their rarity which fixes their value at so high a price; they are sometimes sold for forty dollars.

Fowls, turkies, ducks, geese, rabbits, and other domestic birds and animals are always found in the market, though by no means of a superior quality. Game is less plentiful, except in the months of September and April, when there are generally a great many quails, which light upon the island in their flight, and are not unfrequently caught by the hand. Wild duck, snipe, fig-peckers, woodcocks, ployers and doves form the chief. game for sportsmen.

The harbour and the surrounding sea yield abundance of fish, of which there is seldom any want. Mullet, whitings, tunny, sword fish, eels and various others of the crustaceous genus, such as lobsters, crabs and shrimps are the principal supply of the market. Of the testaceous kind, oysters are found in great plenty, as also several species of the cardium or cockle, the venus, the tellina, and the patella, of which the natives are very fond. The phola dactylus, or sea-date, is also another species very much esteemed by the inhabitants. It is found in soft lime-stones taken out of the sea, and in such quantities, that I have seen fifty extracted from a stone not more than a foot square. It is of two kinds, one with a brown and the other with a white shell; the the latter is very phosphoric. Signor Trapani, a Maltese gentleman, has lately published a very interesting catalogue in five languages of the fish to be met with at Malta. He numbers about 150 different species.

The argonauta argo, or Paper Nautilus, is sometimes found here, but I have never seen it together with the animal. The shell is of the broad keel species.

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The indigenous plants of Malta, or such as grow spontaneously on these islands, are perhaps more numerous than might be expected, from the dry nature of the soil, and the small extent of uncultivated ground existing. Dr. Zerafa, in his 'Floræ Melitensis Thesaurus,' enumerates 644 species of plants. Deducting from this number those which are cultivated, and adding the omissions, the whole number of indigenous plants may not perhaps be very far from 700. A great portion of them, as the situation will naturally lead to expect, are maritime plants, common to the coasts of the Mediterranean in general. Such, however, as require a sandy beach, are comparatively few: as Polygonum maritimum, in St. George's bay; Cakile Egyptiacum, in the bay of Mellieha; Euphorbia Peplis, E. Paralias, E. terracina, and Eryngium maritimum, at Mellieha and Gozo; Pancratium illyricum, Gozo. One of the most common maritime plants of Malta, not mentioned by Dr. Zerafa,

* For this interesting article on the Botanical productions and rarities of Malta, I am indebted to my much esteemed friend Mr. P. Brenner, who has bestowed much attention to this branch of science, particularly as connected with this island. I believe, that were he to publish all the information which he has collected on this delightful subject, it would be considered as a valuable acquisition by amateurs.

is the lowly Crucianella maritima, which blossoms in May and June; the strong aromatic perfume of the flowers of this plant after sunset, betrays it at a distance. On the rocks, especially of the southern coast, are particularly to be noticed, Hypericum Egyptiacum, and Anthyllis Hermanniæ.

Malta is remarkable for its richness in plants belonging to the natural order Papilionacea, the Diadelphia Decandria of Linnæus. Of this, the genus Trifolium counts the greatest number of species, among which the most interesting ones are T. subterraneum and T. suffocatum; both not mentioned by Dr. Zerafa. Then the genuses Medicago, Melilotus, Lotus and Ononis. The genus Euphorbia contains likewise a considerable number of species. Many different kinds of thistles are met with in Malta, of which the most formidable in appearance is the wild artichoke, Cynara Cardunculus. Remarkable for its venomous quality is the stalkless Atractylis gummifera; and the Carlina lanata for its fine purple-coloured flowers. Among the family of the grasses, of which Malta contains a great variety, one of the rarest and most curious is Lygeum spartum, found at St. Paul's bay, Mtahleb, Fauuara, &c. With regard both to abundance and elegance, the Stipa tortilis, by Dr. Zerafa erroneously called Stipa pinnata, is conspicuous. Aromatical plants of

the natural class Labiatiflora, or Didynamia gymnospermia of Linnæus, are but few here, as Mentha Pulegium, Melissa marifolia, Thymbra hirsuta. The flowers of the latter are said to give the Malta honey its peculiar flavour. The plants are gathered and brought into town in large bundles for fuel.

Owing to the mildness of the climate, there is no intermission of vegetation all the year round, and consequently every month produces its peculiar flowers. The beginning of the vegetable year may justly be counted from the end of October, when the first rains have begun to restore to the soil the verdure of winter and spring. The first and most prominent flower which then makes its appearance is the Ranunculus bullatus, whose broad leaves and fragrant yellow flowers adorn all the uncultivated ground during November and December. This is immediately succeded by the Bellis annua, the white little flowers of which are so abundant in December and January as to make the hills and way-sides appear as if covered with snow. Also its much taller sister Bellis sylvestris is not unfrequently met with at that season. The chief ornament of spring, however, is the pretty purple flowered Silene ciliata, which in March intersperses the white groups of the Bellis, and gives the ground a most delightful vivacity.