BY CHARLES HEDLEY. 397 



emigrants reached Australia. The same land-bridge sufficed to 

 admit numerous Australian plants and animals, such as the 

 Eucalyjytus, marsupials, and venomous snakes into New Guinea. 



A considerable amount of specific difference has arisen since 

 the isolation of this Papuan colony, and indicates a corresponding- 

 age for the water barrier of Torres Straits. An earlier, possibly 

 Eocene, connection across Torres Straits is postulated by Pilsbrj^ 

 to explain the distribution of certain snails.* 



New Guinea is a centre whence seem to me to radiate several 

 streams of migration. That which crosses Torres Straits and 

 passes down the Queensland coast, has just been described. A 

 second runs a briefer course ; it travels along the south-east 

 peninsula, peoples the Louisiades, and terminates with that 

 Archipelago. Characteristic of this area are the giant Pupinelhp . 



Another stream liranches off in German territory, traverses in 

 succession New Britain and New Ireland, crosses to the Solomons 

 and runs along the axis of that Group. Then, much impoverished, 

 it divides, sending one branch to Fiji and another along the chain 

 of the New Hebrides. Again, with lessened force, the latter 

 turns to reach New Caledonia. Weaker still, it continues its 

 course, sends an offshoot to Lord Howe Island, and ultimately 

 arrives at New Zealand. 



Since writing the above, I find that the path here suggested for 

 the fauna was long ago traced by Lesson for the flora. As the 

 remarks of that able writer appear to have sunk into undeserved 

 oblivion, and as they are not generally accessible to students, I 

 give the following free translation of a passage of his article 

 " Coup d'oeil sur les iles Oc^aniennes et le grand Ocean. "f 



After remarking that in the vegetation might be found a clue 

 like the thread of Ariadne to guide the inquirer aright through 

 the maze of the South Sea Islands, he continues : — " The Indian 

 flora flourishes in all its magnificence under the equator; com- 

 mencing with the Sunda Islands, we follow it through Malaysia. 

 It appears richly developed in the eastern Moluccas and in New 



* Pilshry— Man. Concli. ix. 1894, p. 127. 

 t Lesson — Ann. Sci. Natur. v. 1825, pp. 179-181. 



