Distribution of Fauna and Flora. 303 



Austro-Malayan forms. Some at least of the Reptilia and Land 

 Mollusca no doubt reached the island by the same means. 



In the case of the plants this means of transport is perhaps the 

 most important of all, as is shown by the very large number of 

 species which have seeds capable of resisting long immersion in 

 sea-water. To this division belong most of the sea-loving trees 

 (e.g. Calophylhim, Hibiscus, Sccevola, Cordia, etc.), as well as 

 many of those found in the forests generally (e.g. Barringtonia, 

 Cryptocarya, Inocarpus, OcJirosia, etc.). Many of the smaller 

 plants also may have been introduced by this means either as 

 seeds or perhaps, in the case of epiphytic plants, attached to 

 floating trees. 



Several other means by which plants may reach an oceanic 

 island are excellently illustrated in the flora of Christmas Island. 

 Thus a considerable proportion of the trees bear fruits which are 

 eaten by the pigeons and other birds, and may have been brought 

 across the sea by them. It is by no means necessary that the 

 birds themselves should survive in order that the seeds may get 

 a footing,^ so that from time to time plants may have been intro- 

 duced by species of birds which are not now found in the island. 



Another mode of distribution is by seeds and fruits, which, either 

 by means of a sticky secretion or by hooks, can cling to the plumage 

 of birds. Several species have no doubt been introduced in this 

 manner, the most notable being Pisonia, the fruits of which are 

 extremely sticky, and sometimes clog the feathers of the sea birds 

 to such an extent as to impede their movements. 



The plants and animals already introduced by man are referred 

 to on p. 20, but considerable additions to these will no doubt 

 quickly follow. In the case of plants especially the reduction in 

 the number of rats near the settlement will render possible the 

 cultivation of many species which hitherto have been destroyed 

 before the fruits could ripen. 



The following table consists of a list of the species of animals 

 and plants at present recorded from Christmas Island, together 

 with their distribution or, in the case of peculiar species, the 

 distribution of their nearest allies. Species peculiar to the island 

 are marked ' x ' in the first column, and the regions in which their 

 nearest allies occur are indicated in the succeeding columns by- 

 numbers distinguished by an asterisk ; in the case of species not 

 peculiar to the island the same numbers are employed without the 

 asterisk. The geographical divisions adopted are those employed 



1 p 



fee Clement Eeid, " Cr'gin of the British Flora," p. 30, 1899. 



