I9-I. Reid. — British Plants and the Glacial Perioa> 209 



If I am right, therefore, there is no such thing as a native 

 plant in Britain. Our flora has been swept away hke that of 

 Krakatoa ; but we have arrived at a much later stage of 

 the re-peopling in our islands. It seems to me far more 

 interesting to watch this process of introduction, change, 

 and spreading than to enter into speculations as to what 

 species shall be listed as ' natives,' ' denizens,' or ' colonists.' 

 No such differences exist ; it is all a question of degree. 



Britain for several thousand years has been receiving 

 colonists from all sources, and the process still goes on. The 

 oldest element in our flora, the alpine, occurs on nearly all 

 our mountains ; for it once occupied the intervening areas, 

 and it does not greatly depend on conditions of soil. The 

 limestone, aquatic, and Lusitanian floras, on the other hand, 

 are more recent introductions ; they can never have 

 occupied continuous areas, and their present distribution is 

 full of singular anomalies. These three elements of our flora 

 are steadily growing in importance, whilst the alpine 

 element is stationary, or tends to die out. 



Geological Survey, London. 



IKISH SOCIETIES, 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



His Majesty the King has graciously deposited in the Dublin Gardens 

 •some animals from his South African collection lately exhibited in London. 

 These are two Verv-et Monkeys, two Blotched Genets, and six Spur- 

 w.nged Geese. 



Recent gifts include a young Otter from Mr. J. Darcy, a Persian Cat 

 from Mr. H. Cooke, Rabbits from Mr. H. Fottrell and Mrs. Stuart, a 

 Lanner Falcon from Mr. H. B. Rathborne, a Sparrow-hawk from Mr. 

 Priestly, three Jacobin Pigeons from Miss V. Stockley, four Nun Pigeons 

 from Miss French, three Ring-necked Parrakeets, a pair of Grass Parrakeets, 

 ■eight Grey-breasted Parrakeets, a Moustache Parrakeet and four Cocka- 

 teels from Dr. B. B. Ferrar, and a West African Tortoise from Mr. J. 

 Scott Byrne, A Mona Monkey has been placed in the collection on 

 deposit. A Macacque Monkey, a pair of Weeper Capuchin Monkeys, a 

 Serval and a female Capybara have been acquired by purchase. 



Considerable progress has been made with the hospital, which will afford, 

 when completed, much-needed accommodation for sick animals and a 

 place of isolation where suspected cases can be kept under observation. 



Recently a fine young male Lion and a pair of Lion Cubs have been 

 shipped from Dublin for the Melbourne Zoological Gardens, Australia. 



A3 



