the idea of recent land connections along the intervening 

 space. 



Beech, like Sheoke, is fertilised by the accidental blow- 

 ing of pollen on to the stigma. In order to ensure this a 

 relatively enormous amount of pollen has to be formed. 

 This is not economical; it appears, when compared with 

 many simple cases of insect fertilisation, to be a prodigal 

 waste. Yet in many cases of the latter, as, for instance, 

 in Silver Wattle, the same prodigality is exhibited. All 

 the earlier types of flowering plants are wind-fertilised. 

 Adaptation to gain the assistance of honey-loving animals 

 seems more recent, though not necessarily very modern. 

 We must always remember that the records preserved in 

 rocks, and translated by students of fossils, are few, and 

 their study is quite a young science; wherefore we must 

 yet wait patiently, and not be in a hurry to come to con- 

 clusions about the little information already dug out. Tn 

 the past geologists have been so anxious to fix incomplete 

 specimens with names, that much error has been com- 

 mitted. A great many forms claimed as ferns that exist 

 in the coal measures are now known, or suspected, to be 

 more nearly related to seed plants. It is very difficult to 

 resist the temptation to describe new forms and explain 

 matters according to what appears to us to be probable; 

 but when information is meagre, the chance of being wrong 

 is much greater than the chance of being right. Hasty 

 conclusions are responsible for many opinions and theories 

 that are not easily unlearnt. 



On the other hand too great caution will only retard 

 advance. The great strides in knowledge which the human 

 mind has made in recent times is in no form more marked 

 than in the reform or abandonment of the theories upon 

 which we had hitherto based our conclusions. Yet, if we 

 had not held tentative but erroneous theories, we should 

 not have advanced to our present condition. If we did not 

 hold opinions till there was undeniable proof of their 

 exactness, we should not hold any opinions at all. 



The fossil remains of plants are being subjected to a 

 steady revision. It is not only the carboniferous flora 

 that is being reorganised, but the more recent species 

 founded on leaf -impressions have to be considered. We 

 have credited old Tasmania with possessing a copious flora 

 of Oaks, Willows, Elms, and other trees on the evidence of 

 leaf-impressions ; it is very possible we shall have to modify 

 this view. 



