256 .MKRUILL. 



perhaps the most roniarkal)l(' lind in the Philippines in tlic liistorv of 

 recent Ijotanieal ex])loration of the Archipelago, as this small family is 

 almost eiitiri'ly Australian, six genera being generally recognized, of 

 which four, J iitirrJhi. Ilrizuht. Apliclui and Alcpyrum, are confined to 

 Australia, A"ew Zealand and Tasmania, and a fifth, Gaimnrdia of two 

 species, confined to New Zealand, C*a])e Horn and the Falkland Islands. 

 'I'lie sixth genus. Cnilrolc/iis. is represented by about twenty s})ecies, of 

 whicli one is found in southern Asia (Caml)odia), one on ]\rount Halcon 

 and the remainder in south Australia and 'fasnumia. D'uniclla caenilca, 

 the genus being a characteristic Australian one, extends from Australia 

 through New Guinea to Luzon. Patcrsonia lowii Stepf, known from 

 l)f)riu'o and Mindoro, is essentially an Australian type, two species of 

 the geinis being found on Mount l\inal)alu, Xorth lioi'iico, one extt'nding 

 to Mount Halcon, Mindoro, the remaining species, about nineteen, being 

 confiru'd to Australia. llaJorrlnujis halconensis Merr., tlu' fourth s])ecies 

 of the genus to l)e foTind in the ]'hili|)])ines, is also an Australian ty])e, 

 the genus being largely developed in Australia and for the greater ))art 

 confined to that continent, nidiscns ^anlcula'folins ^lerr., of ^[indoi'o 

 and Borneo, is also an Australian type, twelve species of the genus being 

 Australian, one New Caledonian, and one Mindoro and Hornean. Cht- 

 (liinii. hitifoliiim Merr.. is one of the comparatively few' species of the 

 genus found outside of Aiisti'alia. The Australian elemcnit in the 

 IMiilipiiincs lias ])reviously bi'cn l<nown to be rather large ami charac- 

 teristic, and it is considerably augmented by the species enumerated 

 above. 



I have advanced elscAvherc^ the belief that Mindoro is probably the one 

 jjart of the grouji wliich has remained continuously above water for a 

 longer jiei'iod of time lliat any of the surrounding islands, ami a )iart of 

 it at least may have been so from the time that it was cfuniected w ith i\\o 

 great land-nuiss of the ancient Malayan continent. The geological struc- 

 ture of ihc island, csiiccially that paii of it in the Halcon area, seems to 

 be quite similar to that. of Mount Kinahalu, Xoi'th IJorneo. so far as 1 

 can determine lYom a\ailable (lesci'i|itioiis of the lattei'. and entii'ely dif- 

 ferent fi'om that of the islands in closest pi'oximity to it. namely Luzon 

 and others. The pi-eseiice oidy in Mindoi'o of the oiu' large mannnal 

 in tlu; l'hili])])ines (Jhilxiliis ni iinlorcnsis) is cnidence in fa\oi- of the 

 above; hyj)othesis. ]Much is known of the avifauna of the island and in 

 this character Mindoro is a|»|»arently related with i>orneo through Pala- 

 wan, rather than with its nearer neighhoi'. li\i/oii. The presence of 

 a decided liornean and .\usti'alian element in the llora al the higher 

 altitudes on llalcoii also iiulieates previous and close relationships with 

 the great land-nuisses to the l^ast and South, but I lind (hat t his holanieal 



" This .loiiniiil. Sic. .1 . den. Sri. ( lIKtT ) . 2, 'Jul. 



