Farquhar. — The Bipolar Theory. 261 



A number of New Zealand plants, especially those of the 

 mountains, have representative forms in Europe and America. 

 The tutu (Coriaria) may be taken as an example. " Our com- 

 mon tutu (Coriaria ruscifolia) occurs equally commonly on the 

 ( hilian Andes ; the smaller-leaved mountain form (C. thymi- 

 folia) ranges along the whole chain of the Andes from Chili up 

 to Mexico ; while the little narrow-leaved form (C. angustissima) 

 appears to be confined to the mountains of the southern part of 

 the colony. Besides these, two or three other species occur in 

 southern Europe, in the Himalayan region, and in Japan." 

 (Thomson.) 



The facts regarding the distribution of our fauna and flora 

 which have been recorded appear to prove the close alliance of 

 a large number of species with those of the northern temperate 

 and sub-Arctic regions ; and, if some of the forms now supposed 

 to be identical are ultimately found to be distinct, their near 

 relationship is, however, undoubtedly established. 



The most probable explanation of the occurrence of the 

 same or closely allied species of plants and animals at widely 

 separated stations is that they occupied continuous areas of 

 distribution in remote times, when the physical conditions on 

 the earth — climate and distribution of land and water — were 

 different from what they are now. 



Very few of our higher forms of animal-life have representa- 

 tives in the north, but the number of representative and iden- 

 tical species increases as we go down to the lower forms. Mr. 

 A. McKay informs me that the same obtains among the fossils. 

 And, as regards time, a number of our Upper Tertiary fossils 

 are nearly related to or identical with northern forms ; the 

 number increases in the Lower Tertiary, and goes on increasing 

 through the Mesozoic formations, till we come to the Palae- 

 ozoic forms, almost all of which appear to be identical or nearly 

 related to those of northern Europe and America. 



We much need a Palaeontology of New Zealand ; a great 

 quantity of material has been collected, and is waiting in Wel- 

 lington to be worked up, but a New Zealand palaeontologist has 

 not yet come. 



