GEOGRAPHICAL VICISSITUDES OF PLANTS. 301 



is its generalised geographical character. In Europe 

 there were gathered together types of plants, all 

 growing side by side, which are now only to be 

 found in America, Japan, China, the Cape of Good 

 Hope, and even Australia ; in addition to those 

 which lingered on, and of which the Mediterranean 

 and North African species are the lineal descendants. 

 Had the Miocene vegetation been a literal " Garden 

 of Eden," and its inhabitants been subsequently 

 " driven forth," they could not have been dispersed 

 more effectually. What a silent but effective story 

 is associated with the dispersal of such genera, for 

 instance, as Sequoia ( Wellingtonid), once abundant in 

 Europe, now confined to solitary Californian valleys ! 

 The extent of this dispersal of the Miocene flora is 

 a measure of the great physical changes which have 

 taken place since they all grew together. 



Not only are the Miocene plants abundant in 

 orders and genera, but those in which floral differentia- 

 tion and high organisation have been evolved — as the 

 Compositce — are represented, showing plainly that all 

 the leading botanical features had then been developed. 



Nor can we wonder, for the number of species of 

 fossil plants recorded is only equalled by the immense 

 number of fossil insects of all kinds — from ants, bees, 

 etc., to beetles, — all associated with the evolution 

 of flowers. The remains of fossil birds — Trogons, 

 Parrakeets, etc., equally indicate the presence of 

 creatures associated with the development of coloured 



