1911] Fernald,— Expedition to Newfoundland 149 
tumescens, Corylus rostrata, Castalia odorata, Pyrus arbutifolia, var. 
atropurpurea, Rosa virginiana, Corema Conradii, Ilex verticillata, 
Viola cucullata, Aralia hispida, Sanicula marilandica, Cicuta bulbifera 
(reproduced by bulblets), Cornus alternifolia, Gaylussacia baccata, 
G. dumosa, var. Bigeloviana, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Convolvulus 
Sepium, and Melampyrum lineare — it is difficult to see how the winds 
could have had any efficient part in transporting them from the 
continent to Newfoundland. 
Not only is the flora of Newfoundland composed of boreal and 
southwestern species with only a very meagre representation of the 
typical Canadian species but the fauna shows a similar composition. 
There are several animals, the caribou, marten, Arctic hare, ptarmi- 
gan, etc. closely akin at least to Arctic-alpine or Hudsonian species 
of Labrador, but the moose, porcupine, squirrels, mice, spruce 
partridge, and many other conspicuous animals of our Canadian 
forests are unknown; and Mr. Outram Bangs and Dr. Glover M. 
Allen inform me that the only native mouse of Newfoundland, instead 
of being one of the common woodland species of eastern Canada, is 
Microtus terrae-novae, the Newfoundland vole, which is closely akin 
to the Meadow Mice of our New England coast, and that the muskrat 
of Newfoundland (Fiber zibethicus obscurus) is very close to the muskrat 
(true Fiber zibethicus) of our continental swamps and pond shores, a 
species unknown from Labrador. 
As we have already seen, the possibility of the southwestern coastal 
plants reaching Newfoundland from Nova Scotia by means of birds, 
ocean-currents, floating logs and ice, or by winds is very slight indeed 
if not entirely negligible. And surely these agencies would hardly 
be likely to transport to Newfoundland the vole or the muskrat, 
neither of which would be apt to undertake long water-journeys. 
We are therefore ready to consider the possibilities of the flora and 
at least the southern mammal-fauna of Newfoundland having reached 
the island by the method which we have not yet discussed, viz. by 
crossing on à 
Posr-GraAciAL LAND Brince. We here approach a problem upon 
which there is little direct geological or at least paleontological 
evidence, and many geological friends whom I have consulted are 
disinclined, from the meagreness of the geological record, to express 
a final opinion in the matter. But the botanical evidence, at least, 
is very extensive and of a rather striking nature. "The isolation 
