Palm-trees grow in latitude 37 degrees; an arborescent grass, very like a bamboo, in 40 degrees; and another closely allied kind, of great length, but not erect, flourishes even as far south as 45 degrees south.
ON THE HEIGHT OF THE SNOW-LINE, AND ON THE DESCENT OF THE GLACIERS, IN SOUTH AMERICA.
For the detailed authorities for the following table, I must refer to the former edition:-- Height in feet Latitude of Snow-line Observer -- -------------------------------------------------------------- Equatorial region; mean result 15,748 Humboldt.
Bolivia, latitude 16 to 18 degrees south 17,000 Pentland.
Central Chile, latitude 33 degrees south 14,500 to 15,000 Gillies and the Author.
Chiloe, latitude 41 to 43 degrees south 6,000 Officers of the "Beagle" and the Author.
Tierra del Fuego 54 degrees south 3,500 - 4,000 King.
An equable climate, evidently due to the large area of sea compared with the land, seems to extend over the greater part of the southern hemisphere; and as a consequence, the vegetation partakes of a semi-tropical character.

Tree-ferns thrive luxuriantly in Van Diemen's Land (latitude 45 degrees), and I measured one trunk no less than six feet in circumference.

An arborescent fern was found by Forster in New Zealand in 46 degrees, where orchideous plants are parasitical on the trees.

In the Auckland Islands, ferns, according to Dr.Dieffenbach have trunks so thick and high that they may be almost called tree-ferns; and in these islands, and even as far south as latitude 55 degrees in the Macquarie Islands, parrots abound.

(11/10.