The island of Malta (an object of interest, on account of its having been the scene of St. Paul's shipwreck) is not naturally fertile, but, by careful cultivation, yields grain, cotton, and excellent fruit, especially oranges. The native quadrupeds of Italy include the wolf and the wild boar. The porcupine is supposed to have existed formerly in Sicily, but is now extinct. Malta, like most other small islands, does not contain any native quadruped larger than a rabbit, and probably even this animal has been introduced. Among the most remarkable birds of Italy, are the rosecoloured starling, (one of the most beautiful European birds, not, however, confined to Italy, being met with in other parts of Europe, and having been occasionally seen in Britain); the blue thrush, which, like our less ornamented thrush, is a sweet songster; the hoopoe; and the crimson-winged wallcreeper. The migratory birds of Sicily are interesting from their including many species common to the opposite shores of Africa. Besides the immense flocks of quails, which pass over this island in the spring, bee-eaters, rollers, orioles, and hoopoes, are very numerous; whilst in the marshes are seen the African flamingo, the pelican, the beautiful purple heron, the glossy ibis, and other species, rare in Europe. Quails are also very abundant in Malta, where the beautiful merops, the golden oriole, and the elegant crested hoopoe are met with. The little solitary island of Lampidosa is remarkable for being the habitual residence of the most elegant of European birds, the coronated or crowned crane (ardea pavonia). Among the insects of Italy, the tarantula spider is perhaps the most noted; recent naturalists, however, entertain doubts of the virulence of its poison. The scorpion occurs in Italy: and a species of termites, or white ant, inhabits Sicily. The insects of the latter island are very numerous, and comprise some well-known African species, among which is the scarabæus. Flights of locusts, almost unknown in the rest of Europe, have occasionally visited and devastated this fruitful island. CHAPTER XII. ALPINE SYSTEM.-SWITZERLAND.-THE GERMAN HIGH WE E now return to the Alps, which form so marked a feature in the natural geography of Europe. These mountains present neither the rounded outlines of the Apennines, nor the ruggedness of the Pyrenees, being generally more imposing in their form, and their summits being sharp, and in some parts pike-shaped or needle-shaped. The latter term is locally applied to some of the peaks; as, for instance, Aiguille Blanche; others are locally termed horns, as Schreckhorn, or horn of terror; others again are designated by the term spitz, or peak, as Oertler-spitz. The passes, which consist of the lowest passable routes over the various mountains, are, in the Alps, usually termed cols, or necks. The southern or Italian slopes of this range, are in general more precipitous than the northern, and it is chiefly on the latter side that offsets, or branches, diverge from the central line. This mountain system does not spread into extensive table lands, but consists chiefly of vast ridges, in some parts running parallel with each other, and intersected by deep valleys, occasionally containing lakes of considerable size. The consequence of this great diversity of surface is, that a singular variety of climate occurs in this region. The snow-line in this latitude varies, according to local circumstances, from 9000 to 9500 feet above the level of the sea; and as a large number of the summits of this range considerably exceed that elevation, perpetual ice crowns their heights; whilst, on the declivities of the mountains, and in some of the valleys, we meet with all varieties of vegetation, from that of arctic regions, to that of temperate Europe. The highest summit is Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet above the sea. Mont Blanc is the monarch of mountains, They crowned him long ago, On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, Our course first lies along the Cottian Alps, which extend from Monte Viso, in a nearly northward direction, to Mont Cenis, a distance of about sixty miles. The only carriage route across this part of the Alps is that of Mont Genèvre, executed by order of Napoleon. Another route, though not passable for carriages, is by the valley of the Bardonneche, which is supposed to have been the pass traversed by Julius Cæsar, when he crossed the Alps to attack the Helvetii. The principal mountains in this division are Pelvoux and Olan. The Graian Alps extend from Mont Cenis-which is included in this group-to the Col de la Seigne. The pass over Mont Cenis was known in the early times of French history; for it appears that Pepin, emphatically styled the "father of Charlemagne," crossed this pass with an army, when he marched to attack Astolphus, king of the Lombards; it, however, in later times, was only a difficult mule road, until the present magnificent route was formed by Napoleon Buonaparte. The elevation of the pass is 6773 feet above the sea. Besides Mont Cenis, the principal summits in this group are Iseran and Vanoise. The Pennine Alps take a north-easterly direction, extending from Mont Blanc to the Simplon. The country to the west of Mont Blanc, in the approach from Geneva, presents the grandest and most sublime Alpine scenery in Europe. The valley of Chamouni, the Glacier of Boissons, and the Mer de Glace, all contribute to produce this magnificent effect. The Pennine Alps form the loftiest portion of the whole range, and, besides Mont Blanc, include Monte Rosa and Mont Cervin, which rank among the most elevated peaks of Europe. The first great pass across this division of the Alps is that by the Great St. Bernard, which forms the route be tween Martigny and Aosta. This pass is of great antiquity, and has obtained modern historical celebrity, by the passage of Napoleon Buonaparte across it in the year 1800. To the eastward of the Great St. Bernard, is the pass of the Cervin, the loftiest in Europe, being 11,096 feet above the sea, but it is not passable for carriages. The magnificent route of the Simplon, another work of Napoleon, but now unfortunately falling to decay, is the most eastward in the Pennine Alps. The Helvetian, or Swiss Alps (called also the Lepontian), next succeed, extending from the Simplon to Mont St. Gothard. This, and the preceding group, form the southern boundary of the deep and extensive valley named the Valais, through which the river Rhone flows, and which forms an instance of a principal valley. The Rhone, as well as the Rhine, both take their rise among the glaciers and perpetual snows of the Helvetian Alps. Having traversed the central line to the boundary of Switzerland, it will be desirable to quit it for the present, and turn our attention to some of the branches which intersect that land of mountains and valleys. The principal of these is the range of mountains called the Jorat, which forms the northern border of the Valais, extending to the Lake of Geneva, of which it constitutes the steep and rocky northern shores. The peaks in this range are termed horns, and though none of the summits equal Mont Blanc in elevation, these mountains present a more imposing mass, and more continuous elevation, than even the range of the Pennine, or High Alps. The most conspicuous summits are Finster-aar-horn, Schreck-horn, and Wetter-horn. The whole of Southern Switzerland affords scenery of the grandest and most pleasing description;-a succession of splendid mountains, intersected by deep and fertile valleys, which, being copiously watered by the streams which take their rise among these mountains, and also sheltered by the surrounding heights, enjoy a mild and humid climate, highly favourable to vegetation; and hence, in the more southern districts, the fig and olive come to perfection in the valleys, to the elevation of 1000 feet above the sea; the vine, to that of 1600 feet; the walnut extends to 2400 feet; the chesnut to of the mountains, and in some of the valleys, we meet with all varieties of vegetation, from that of arctic regions, to that of temperate Europe. The highest summit is Mont Blanc, 15,781 feet above the sea. Mont Blanc is the monarch of mountains, They crowned him long ago, On a throne of rocks, in a robe of clouds, Our course first lies along the Cottian Alps, which extend from Monte Viso, in a nearly northward direction, to Mont Cenis, a distance of about sixty miles. The only carriage route across this part of the Alps is that of Mont Genèvre, executed by order of Napoleon. Another route, though not passable for carriages, is by the valley of the Bardonneche, which is supposed to have been the pass traversed by Julius Cæsar, when he crossed the Alps to attack the Helvetii. The principal mountains in this division are Pelvoux and Olan. The Graian Alps extend from Mont Cenis-which is included in this group-to the Col de la Seigne. The pass over Mont Cenis was known in the early times of French history; for it appears that Pepin, emphatically styled the "father of Charlemagne," crossed this pass with an army, when he marched to attack Astolphus, king of the Lombards; it, however, in later times, was only a difficult mule road, until the present magnificent route was formed by Napoleon Buonaparte. The elevation of the pass is 6773 feet above the sea. Besides Mont Cenis, the principal summits in this group are Iseran and Vanoise. The Pennine Alps take a north-easterly direction, extending from Mont Blanc to the Simplon. The country to the west of Mont Blanc, in the approach from Geneva, presents the grandest and most sublime Alpine scenery in Europe. The valley of Chamouni, the Glacier of Boissons, and the Mer de Glace, all contribute to produce this magnificent effect. The Pennine Alps form the loftiest portion of the whole range, and, besides Mont Blanc, include Monte Rosa and Mont Cervin, which rank among the most elevated peaks of Europe. The first great pass across this division of the Alps is that by the Great St. Bernard, which forms the route be |