40 



while the plains which had been clothed with Alpine forms 

 would once again be peopled with appropriate denizens which 

 had taken refuge in the equatorial zone from the cold conditions 

 ruling everywhere else. By a process such as this we can 

 understand how isolated mountains in various tropical areas 

 could come to possess a common flora. Under suitable conditions 

 of land configuration the zones around the polar regions would 

 form a recruiting ground from whence the plants could spread 

 tropic wards as the climate became suitable for their welfare, 

 and to the same hospitable regions the cold-loving forms would 

 be driven back by the return of warm conditions to the lower 

 latitudes. There are suflicient mountain chains crossing the 

 equatorial region to act as bridges by which transmigration could 

 take place. For the sake of simplicity I have spoken only of 

 plants in the above scheme, but obviously animals would equally 

 share the facilities for migration, though the conditions on 

 isolated mountain fastnesses would inhibit the survival there of 

 animals to a much greater degree than plants; hence the large 

 arctic mammals, land and amphibious, to most of whicli the 

 proximity of the sea or the range of great land areas is abso- 

 lutely necessary, would naturally gravitate to the regions where 

 they are now found. Glacial mutations and attendant land and 

 ocean configuration alterations, must at all times have been 

 exceedingly powerful aids towards many of the radical changes 

 in type of the flora and fauna characteristic of tlie transition 

 from one geological epoch to another. 



In taking leave of the honourable position in which you were 

 good enough to place me two years ago, let me tender my hearti- 

 est thanks for the generous support and encouragement accorded 

 me at all times at our meetings and in the conduct of the 

 Society's affairs, and once again to ask you to join me in the 

 sentiment 



Floreat Societas Linneana ! 



Mr. J. R. Garland, M.A., Hon. Treasurer, presented the 

 balance sheet for the year 1906, duly signed by the Auditors; 

 and he moved that it be received and adopted, which was carried 



