Comparison with 1866 |
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When I ascertained that these young trees had not been sown or planted, I was so much surprised at their numbers that I went to several points of view, whence I could examine hundreds of acres of the unenclosed heath, and literally I could not see a single Scotch fir, except the old planted clumps. But on looking closely between the stems of the heath, I found a multitude of seedlings and little trees,
which had been perpetually browsed down by the cattle. In one square yard, at a point some hundred yards distant from one of the old clumps, I counted thirty-two little trees; and one of them,
with twenty-six with twenty-six 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
judging from the 1859 |
rings of growth, had
during
many many 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 | twenty-six 1859 |
years tried to raise its head above the stems of the heath, and had failed. No wonder that, as soon as the land was enclosed, it became thickly clothed with vigorously growing young firs. Yet the heath was so extremely barren and so extensive that no one would ever have imagined that cattle would have so closely and effectually searched it for food. |
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Here we see that cattle absolutely determine the existence of the Scotch fir; but in several parts of the world insects determine the existence of cattle. Perhaps Paraguay offers the most curious instance of this; for here neither cattle nor horses nor dogs have ever run wild, though they swarm southward and northward in a feral state; and Azara and Rengger have shown that this is caused by the greater number in Paraguay of a certain fly, which lays its eggs in the navels of these animals when first born. The increase of these flies, numerous as they are, must be habitually checked by some means, probably by
other parasitic insects. other parasitic insects. 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
birds. 1859 1860 |
Hence, if certain insectivorous birds
...OMIT 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
(whose numbers are probably regulated by hawks or beasts of prey) 1859 1860 |
were to
decrease decrease 1861 1866 1869 1872 | increase 1859 1860 |
in Paraguay, the
parasitic insects would probably increase; parasitic insects would probably increase; 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
flies would decrease— then cattle and horses would become feral, 1859 |
flies would decrease— then cattle and horses would became feral, 1860 |
and this would
lessen the number of the navel-frequenting flies— then cattle and horses would become feral, and this would certainly lessen the number of the navel-frequenting flies— then cattle and horses would become feral, and this would certainly 1861 1866 1872 |
certainly 1859 1860 |
lessen the number of the navel-frequenting flies—then cattle and horses would become feral, and this would certainly 1869 |
greatly alter (as
|
When I ascertained that these young trees had not been sown or planted, I was so much surprised at their numbers that I went to several points of view, whence I could examine hundreds of acres of the unenclosed heath, and literally I could not see a single Scotch fir, except the old planted clumps. But on looking closely between the stems of the heath, I found a multitude of seedlings and little
trees, trees, 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | trees 1872 |
which had been perpetually browsed down by the cattle. In one square yard, at a point some hundred yards distant from one of the old clumps, I counted thirty-two little trees; and one of them,
judging from the judging from the 1859 |
with twenty-six 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
rings of growth,
had had 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 | had, 1872 |
during
twenty-six twenty-six 1859 | many 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
years tried to raise its head above the stems of the heath, and had failed. No wonder that, as soon as the land was enclosed, it became thickly clothed with vigorously growing young firs. Yet the heath was so extremely barren and so extensive that no one would ever have imagined that cattle would have so closely and effectually searched it for food. |
|
Here we see that cattle absolutely determine the existence of the Scotch fir; but in several parts of the world insects determine the existence of cattle. Perhaps Paraguay offers the most curious instance of this; for here neither cattle nor horses nor dogs have ever run wild, though they swarm southward and northward in a feral state; and Azara and Rengger have shown that this is caused by the greater number in Paraguay of a certain fly, which lays its eggs in the navels of these animals when first born. The increase of these flies, numerous as they are, must be habitually checked by some means, probably by
birds. birds. 1859 1860 |
other parasitic insects. 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
Hence, if certain insectivorous birds
(whose numbers are probably regulated by hawks or beasts of prey) (whose numbers are probably regulated by hawks or beasts of prey) 1859 1860 |
OMIT 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
were to
increase increase 1859 1860 | decrease 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
in Paraguay, the
flies would decrease— then cattle and horses would become feral, flies would decrease— then cattle and horses would become feral, 1859 |
flies would decrease— then cattle and horses would became feral, 1860 |
parasitic insects would probably increase; 1861 1866 1869 1872 |
and this would
certainly certainly 1859 1860 |
lessen the number of the navel-frequenting flies— then cattle and horses would become feral, and this would certainly 1861 1866 1872 |
lessen the number of the navel-frequenting flies—then cattle and horses would become feral, and this would certainly 1869 |
greatly alter (as
|