18431882] DISPERSAL OF SEEDS 4/5 



sincerely hope he will pretty often write reviews or essays. Letter 361 

 It is an old subject of grief to me, formerly in Geology and of 

 late in Zoology and Botany, that the very best men (excepting 

 those who have to write principles and elements, etc.) read so 

 little, and give up nearly their whole time to original work. I 

 have often thought that science would progress more if there 

 was more reading. How few read any long and laborious 

 papers ! The only use of publishing such seems to be as a 

 proof that the author has given time and labour to his work. 



To J. D. Hooker. Letter 362 



Down, Oct. 22nd and 28th, 1865. 



As for the anthropologists being a bete noire to scientific 

 men, I am not surprised, for I have just skimmed through the 

 last Antkrop. Journal, and it shows, especially the long attack 

 on the British Association, a curious spirit of insolence, 

 conceit, dulness, and vulgarity. I have read with uncommon 

 interest Travers' 1 short paper on the Chatham Islands. I 

 remember your pitching into me with terrible ferocity because 

 I said I thought the seed of Edwardsia might have been 

 floated from Chili to New Zealand : now what do you say, my 

 young man, to the three young trees of the same size on one 

 spot alone of the island, and with the cast-up pod on the 

 shore ? If it were not for those unlucky wingless birds I 

 could believe that the group had been colonised by accidental 

 means ; but, as it is, it appears by far to me the best evidence 

 of continental extension ever observed. The distance, I see, 

 is 360 miles. I wish I knew whether the sea was deeper than 

 between New Zealand and Australia. I fear you will not 

 admit such a small accident as the wingless birds having been 

 transported on icebergs. Do suggest, if you have a chance, 

 to any one visiting the Islands again, to look out for erratic 

 boulders there. How curious his statement is about the fruit- 

 trees and bees ! 2 I wish I knew whether the clover had spread 

 before the bees were introduced. . . . 



1 See Travers, H. H., "Notes on the Chatham Islands," Linn. Soc. 

 Journ. IX., Oct. 1865. Mr, Travers says he picked up a seed of 

 Edwardsia, evidently washed ashore. The stranded logs indicated a 

 current from New Zealand. 



2 " Since the importation of bees, European fruit-trees and bushes 

 have produced freely." Travers, Linn. Soc. Journal^ IX., p. 144. 



