-i02 A ZOOGEOGRAPHIC SCHEME FOR THE MID-PACIFIC, 



which two of the known species are from the Solomons, and the 

 third from Fiji.* 



Geological evidence may also be produced to substantiate the 

 claim of Fiji to be called continental. Wichmann, whose work I 

 quote at second hand from Baur, reports a considerable extension 

 of old crystalline massive rocks and crystalline schists, f The 

 latter include amphiboiites, eurites, quartz-mica-schists and 

 granular limestone. Among the older massive rocks occur granite, 

 quartz porphyry,diorite, gabbro, diabase, foyaite, and a sandstone 

 similar to itacolumit. Of minerals, gold, copper, quartz, pyrite, 

 haematite and others were found. 



Practically nothing is known of the fauna and flora of the 

 Santa Cruz Group. I cannot therefore tell whether they should 

 be classed as oceanic, or as their position at the intersection of 

 the axes of the Solomons and the New Hebrides sujrgests as 

 continental. 



The collection made by J. S. Gardiner on Rotuma, leaves no 

 doubt of its oceanic nature. 



Comparatively little biological research has been conducted in 

 the New Hebrides. Enough, however, is known of them to con- 

 stitute a link between the Solomons and New Caledonia. 



A close relationship exists between the animals and plants of 

 New Caledonia and New Zealand. That it has never been reco2- 

 nised by New Zealand writers, is simply owing to New Caledonian 

 literature and material being inaccessible to them. The first to 

 grasp the geological connection between the two countries was 

 Heurteau.| A considerable correspondence occurs between the 

 Mesozoic strata of each.§ 



* Hemsley— Jourii. Linn. Soc, Botany, xxx. 1894, p. 164. 



t Wichmann— Eiu Beitrag zur Petrographie des Viti-Archipels. Tscher- 



mak's Mineral, unci Petrograph. Mittheilungen. (Neue Folge) v. 1883, 

 pp. 1-60. 



t Heurteau— Rapport sur la Constitution de la Nouvelle Cal^donie, 1876, 

 p. 17. 



§ Pelatan— Les Mines de la Nouvelle CaMdonie, 1892, pp. 14, 19. 



