Proceedings. 25 



To explain this distribution of species, let us turn to the 

 British Isles. Here we find a flora largely identical with that 

 of Germany and Norway. Not a dozen plants are endemic to 

 the British Isles. With our birds it is the same. Now we 

 find that the hundred fathom sea-bottom line unites us to 

 Germany and Norway, indicating that at a recent geological 

 period there was a land connection with the continent. 



Round Madagascar we find a narrow hundred fathom line. 

 The thousand fathom line nearly unites Madagascar to 

 Africa, though part of the Mozambique Channel is 1600 

 fathoms deep. On the west coast of Madagascar the hundred 

 fathom line runs out about eighty miles, beyond which we find 

 a depth of from 1000 to 1500 fathoms before the African coast 

 is reached. Geologically speaking, Madagascar was united 

 with Africa at a very remote period ; and its Fauna and Flora 

 are in consequence of very great antiquity. 



The vast deserts which now extend across Africa, Arabia, 

 and Northern India were once sea-bottoms, and cut off South 

 Africa from Europe and Asia. At that period Pachyderms 

 had a much more northern range than now, as proved by 

 bones found in England and Northern Europe. After the 

 desert was raised out of the sea they mast have spread south- 

 ward, but before that period Madagascar must have become 

 separated from the mainland. Thus the entire absence of 

 the characteristic African animals in the island is explained. 

 Its isolation has been long enough to allow of the modifi- 

 cation of genera and species. 



Evening Meeting. — November IGth, 1888. 



Mr. C. E. Salmon exhibited specimens of Alkanet {Anclmsa 

 seihpei virens), found at the foot of Reigate Hill, near the Eifle 

 Butts. 



Mr. J. B. Crosfield exhibited a number of Fungi, including 

 Xylaria Injpoxylon, from near Leith Hill ; Himeola Auricula- 

 Judm, from Reigate ; Polyporus igniarius, from near Reigate. 



