the sea at
Teneriffe. This does not reach up to the mountains, which have on every
side a stratum of their own, about 1000 ft. thick, the lower surface
being about 3500 ft. above the level of the sea. Between these two
distinct strata there is a gap, through which persons on a vessel near
the island may obtain a glimpse of the peak. The sea-cloud conceals from
view the other islands, except those whose mountains pierce through it.
On the south-west coasts there is no regular sea or land breeze. In
winter they are occasionally visited by a hot south-east wind from
Africa, which is called the _Levante_, and produces various disagreeable
consequences on the exposed parts of the person, besides injuring the
vegetation, especially on the higher grounds. Locusts have sometimes
been brought by this wind. In 1812 it is said that locusts covered some
fields in Fuerteventura to the depth of 4 ft. Hurricanes, accompanied by
waterspouts, sometimes cause much devastation; but, on the whole, the
islands are singularly free from such visitations. The climate generally
is mild, dry and healthy. On the lower grounds the temperature is
equable, the daily range seldom exceeding 6 deg. Fahr. At Santa Cruz the
mean for the year is about 71 deg. The rainy season occurs at the same
period as in southern Europe. The dry season is at the time of the
trade-winds, which extend a few degrees farther north than this
latitude.

_Fauna_.--The indigenous mammals of the Canary Islands are very few in
number. The dog, swine, goat and sheep were alone found upon the island
by the Spanish conquerors: The race of large dogs which is supposed to
have given a name to the islands has been long extinct. A single
skeleton has been found, which is deposited in one of the museums at
Paris. The ferret, rabbit, cat, rat, mouse and two kinds of bat have
become naturalized. The ornithology is more interesting, on account at
once of the birds native to the islands, and the stragglers from the
African coast, which are chiefly brought over in winter, when the wind
has blown for some time from the east. Among the indigenous birds are
some birds of prey, as the African vulture, the falcon, the buzzard, the
sparrow-hawk and the kite. There are also two species of owl, three
species of sea-mew, the stockdove, quail, raven, magpie, chaffinch,
goldfinch, blackcap, canary, titmouse, blackbird, house-swallow, &c. As
to the insects, mention may be made of a species of gnat or m