8 THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



western half, which is relatively low, flat, and dry, was almost treeless, while the eastern 

 half, especially the northern declivity, was almost entirely covered with shady evergreen 

 forests, above which waved the graceful leaves of the slender Chonta Palm. These recalled 

 the beautiful groves of the southern provinces of Chili, yet they were at once distinguish- 

 able by the absence of underwood and climbing plants, which render the forests of Valvidia 

 so impenetrable, as well as by the enormous quantities of ferns, whose fallen fronds thickly 

 covered the ground. 



Since that date, however, the trees have been very extensively felled, and the time is 

 probably not far distant when all accessible parts will be denuded. 



Philippi remarks that not a single shrub or tree is common to Juan Fernandez and the 

 mainland of South America ; but he regards the insular form of Sophora as distinct both 

 from the Chilian and the New Zealand. If none be common to Chili and Juan Fernandez, 

 there are several insular species which are closely allied to continental ones ; thus Drimys, 

 Berberis, Azara, Gunnera, Myrtus, Psychotria, Pernettya, Rhaphithamnus, and Lorai dims. 

 The same thing obtains for many of the herbaceous genera, and what is very remarkable, 

 in nearly all instances the insular species are handsomer and especially larger-flowered than 

 the corresponding continental ones. 



The collection of plants in the Kew Herbarium made by Mr E. C. Eeed was purchased 

 in 1873, and we learn from the labels that he was in Masafuera in 1869, and in Juan 

 Fernandez in 1872, but there are no other particulars. 



Finally, there is the collection made by Mr Moseley in his capacity of naturalist to the 

 Challenger Expedition. This, including a few introduced species, comprises 105 species 

 of vascular plants, besides a small number of cellular cryptogams. It contains no novelties 

 among the vascular plants except a Wahlcnbergia, which, how r ever, was represented in the 

 Kew Herbarium by one specimen collected in 1823 by Mrs Graham, though hitherto not 

 distinguished from Wahlinboyiafernandeziana. But, considering the number of botanists 

 that have visited the island, novelties were not to be expected ; and the fuller material it 

 contains of many rare species is most welcome and useful. 



Mr Moseley's remarks 1 on the vegetation give an idea of its condition ten years ago. 

 and afford the latest published information on the subject. They are reproduced here with 

 some slight modifications, such as the substitution of different botanical names in a few 

 instances where a critical examination of the plants has brought to light the fact that they 

 had not been correctly identified. 



" The voyage to Juan Fernandez occupied six weeks, as we had the bad fortune to be becalmed 

 for twelve days on the passage. It was with the liveliest interest that we approached the scene of 

 Alexander Selkirk's life of seclusion and hardship, and an island with the existence of which, in the 

 case of most of us, the very fact that we were at sea on a long voyage was more or less distinctly 

 connected. The study of Robinson Crusoe certainly first gave me a desire to go to sea, and Darwin's 

 Journal settled the matter. Defoe was obliged to lay the scene of his romance in the West Indies 



1 Notes by a Naturalist on the Challenger, pp. 537-542. 



