Mr. R. B. Hinds on Geographic Botany» 93 



deeper valleys, but varies greatly in quantity in different situations 

 and different islands. On the plain on which the capital is built, 

 twenty-one inches fell in the above year ; but this is considerably 

 less than what falls more towards the interior of the island, and on 

 the elevated parts. The surface is very irregular, has but little level 

 land, and consists chiefly of mountain ranges of moderate height, 

 intersected by numerous deep and fertile valleys ; the superficies 

 of the whole is about 7000 square miles. The soil, resulting 

 from the decomposition of several varieties of lava, is very fruit- 

 ful, but requires much water ; supplied with plenty of the latter, 

 its productiveness is unlimited. 



Their geographical position bestows on them a tropical flora, 

 whilst the irregularities of surface ensure variety. For the present, 

 however, we are confined to the plains. Cinchonace(B, Guttifercey 

 Sapindacea, arborescent Euphorbiacea, tree-ferns, and a solitary 

 representative of PalmcEy omitting the cocoa-nut, with other 

 families equally tropical, but not quite so abundant, stamp its 

 general features. The relations of the flora to the American and 

 Asiatic tropic are so nicely balanced, that it is difficult to decide 

 of which it most partakes ; the sources of analogy are perhaps 

 most numerous with the Asiatic. With more distant regions 

 it has also relations through some members of CrucifercBy Saxi- 

 frageae and Umhellifera, families abounding in temperate regions, 

 and presenting an analogy the tropics do not often display. Each 

 of these families is but feebly represented: Cm«/er« has two 

 species of genera belonging to the European temperate region, 

 hence an affinity with that portion of the globe : this is further 

 supported by an umbelliferous plant, Hydrocotyle interruptay 

 which is regarded in the islands as originally a native plant, and 

 is also widely diffused elsewhere : the genus supplies another 

 affinity to temperate regions, whilst the species acknowledges an 

 identity with several others. The saxifrageous plant, Broussaisia 

 arguta, supplies an analogy alone; the genus and species are 

 found only in the Sandwich islands. Like other islands they 

 have a multitude of ferns. An analogy, stronger than usually 

 prevails in tropical countries, is established with subtropical re^ 

 gions through shrubby Compositce, Labiafa, and some others. 



The affinities are numerous, and very equally distributed be- 

 tween New Holland, Asia and America. In common with Asia 

 are the genera Cyrtandra, Santalum, and Elceocarpus ; with Ame- 

 rica, Clusia, Brunellia, and Heliotropium ; and with New Holland, 

 Metrosideros, CyathodeSy Pittosporuniy and Exocarpus. Few of 

 their species are the same, the relations ceasing chiefly with the 

 genus. 



The repetition of species indigenous elsewhere is also consider- 

 able : taking one hundred and sixty-five of the phsenogamous^ 



