418 GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION [Chap. VI 



Letter 322 that 1 objected to such cases as the former union of England 

 and the Continent ; I look at this case as proved by animals, 

 etc., etc. ; and, indeed, it would be an astounding fact if the 

 land had kept so steady as that they had not been united, 

 with Snowdon elevated 1,300 feet in recent times, etc., etc. 



It is only against the former union with the oceanic 

 volcanic islands that I am vehement. 1 What a perplexing case 

 New Zealand does seem: is not the absence of Leguminosas, 

 etc., etc.,/«//j' as much opposed to continental connexion as to 

 any other theory ? What a curious fact you state about 

 distribution and lowness going together. 



The presence of a frog in New Zealand seems to me a 

 strongish fact for continental connexion, for I assume that 

 sea water would kill spawn, but I shall try. The spawn, I find, 

 will live about ten days out of water, but I do not think it 

 could possibly stick to a bird. 



\\ hat you say about no one realising creation strikes me 

 as very true ; but I think and hope that there is nearly as 

 much difference between trying to find out whether species of 

 a genus have had a common ancestor and concerning oneself 

 with the first origin of life, as between making out the laws 

 of chemical attraction and the first origin of matter. 



I thought that Gray's letter had come open to you, and 

 that you had read it : you will see what I asked — viz., for 

 habitats of the alpine plants, but I presume there will be 

 nothing new to you. Please return both. How pleasantly 

 Gray takes my request, and I think I shall have done a good 

 turn if I make him write a paper on geographical distribution 

 of plants of United States. 



I have written him a very long letter, telling him some of 

 the points about which I should feel curious. But on my life 

 it is sublimely ridiculous, my making suggestions to such 

 a man. 



I cannot help thinking that what you say about low 

 plants being widely distributed and standing injurious con- 

 ditions better than higher ones (but is not this most difficult 

 to show?) is equally favourable to sea-transport, to continental 

 connexions, and all other means. Pray do not suppose that 

 I fancy that if I could show that nearly all seeds could stand 

 an almost indefinite period of immersion in sea-water, that I 



1 See Life and Letters, Vol. II., pp. 72, 74, 80, 109. 



