298 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



wedding-flower, and there is a fine specimen of it at the 

 south end of the cactus-house at Kew. Carmichcelia exul 

 (Leguminosae) is the only species of a considerable genus, 

 with this exception, not known to inhabit any other country 

 than New Zealand. There are other connections with the 

 flora of the latter country, but they are mostly such as extend 

 to Australia as well. Pimelea longifolia and the handsome 

 sedge, Gahnia xantkocarpa, are apparently exceptions. In 

 round numbers 25 per cent, of the species of flowering plants 

 of Lord Howe Island are endemic, and 62 per cent, are 

 common to Australia, many of these having a wider 

 range. A few are common only to Australia, New Zealand, 

 and Norfolk Island. The shrubby violaceous genus 

 Hymenanthera is an example. The gum trees {Eucalyptus) 

 of Australia are represented by the endemic Acicalyptus 

 Fullagari, a small Fijian genus differing from Eucalyptus 'in 

 having a calyptrate calyx-limb and separate petals. Two 

 other conspicuous trees in the endemic element are Draco- 

 phyllum Fitzgeraldii (Epacridese) and the screw-pine, Pan- 

 danus Forsteri. The former is a tree, said to be the largest 

 in the order, attaining the height of fifty to sixty feet. It has 

 the foliage and aspect of a monocotyledon rather than of a 

 dicotyledon. One characteristic Australasian type we miss 

 in the Lord Howe Island flora, and that is Cor dy line. 



When reviewing (32) the newer literature relating to 

 the flora of the Galapagos Islands I found little to add to 

 what had been done by Darwin, Hooker and Andersson ; 

 merely mentioning the visit of the United States ship 

 Albatross, and Dr. G. Baur's theory of the origin of the 

 fauna and flora. Since then an account of Dr. Baur's 

 botanical collections has been published (33), and the sub- 

 stance has also appeared in an English journal (34), and 

 Dr. Baur himself has written (35) and lectured (36) in 

 defence of his theory of the origin of this group of islands. 

 As previously stated, he contends that the evidence points 

 to the present condition being the result of subsidence ; 

 that the islands were formerly connected with each other 

 and at a still earlier period with continental America. 

 Although this theory has been derided, I think the biologi- 



