374 



C. SKOTTSBERG 



Die Seichtwasser-Faiina weist deutlicher als die geologischen Verhiiltnisse darauf 

 hin, <lass Masatierra in der That als eine ozeanische Insel anzusehen ist, die nie in 

 Zusamnienhang niit deni I-"estland gestandcii haben kann . . . (p. 228), 



but this did not prevent liiin from believing that Masatierra and Masafuera once 

 formed a sini^le lari^e island, in spite of the distance (92 miles) and the deep 

 water that sej)arates them (p. 222). No more will be said here about a connection 

 with the mainland; I have already discussed tliis question from an algologist's 

 view|)<)int, and with a difterent result (2jS). 



The reason why (ioLRl.AV rejected all land connections was his conviction 

 of the easiness with which plants and animals are transported; the under-title of 

 his article reads "Plants make ocean voyages". He had little faith in the birds, 

 wind and sea were the principal means of transportation, and as so many others 

 he j)()inted to Krakatau as the classical example. The distance was very small, 

 it is true, but winds and currents were favourable along the coast region of 

 South .America, and the flora was derived from southern Chile. Of the genera and 

 sj)ecies cjuite without relations not only in Chile, but in all America, he said 

 notliing. 



Hi K(;i:k, who had visited the islands, followed JoiJOW; they were typically 

 oceanic. After telling us about some of the most remarkable endemics, he exclaims: 



W'er brachte die.sen entlegenen Stiitten solch kostliches Geschenk? Die Stromung, 

 die \'(')gel iind vor allem die Winde. Sie beluden sich niit Sporen und Samen. . . . 

 selhst voiii I'euerlande empfangenes gedieh. Doch aiis viel weiteren Fernen kamen die 

 Kinwandcrer, auch vom tropischen x^merika, Polynesien, ja sogar von Aiistralien und 

 Neuseeland und den Inseln des Indischen Ozeans (pp. 17-18). 



The majority of the newcomers remained true to their stock in spite of the 

 changed conditions, but others changed and some took such a fancy to the 

 climate that from being herbs they became trees. 1 shall leave these speculations 

 without comment; we have better reason to observe GOETSCIl's paper which, 

 in sj)ite of being fairly recent, contains many amazing statements not supported 

 by facts. Ignoring OLl'.NSlll/s report on the geology, he tells us that the islands 

 rest "auf einem Sockel von grimlichem Andesit, der auch die Hauptmasse der 

 Anden bildet". lie had seen my writings on the flora; the use he made of them 

 mav l)e illustrated by a couple of examples. Among the plants introduced from 

 luirope he mentions "Aromo aus Castilien" — this is a local name for the en- 

 demic Arjai-a fcriiaiideziaiuA Me rejects all land connections, the sandal-wood 

 came from the Past Indies; he had not observed that it belongs to a quite dif- 

 ferent section than SautaliiDi albiDu. The arborescent Conipositae and Plaiitago had 

 originated in the islands, '' Plaiitago feriiaiidezia wx^iX Skottsbcrgii, \-2 v[\\\oz\\vc\\\. 

 20 cm langen und 3 ^2 cm breiten, an der Spitze des Stammes stehenden Blat- 

 tern' . lie overlooked that the so-called /'. Skoitsbergi'i is a modest annual and 

 a form of the common Chilean /rianata, a variable species. But GoETSCII knows 

 what happened in the islands: "Dass der europiiische Wegerich auf Juan F'ernandez 

 mcterhohe HUitenahren und fusslange Blatter tragt, weist auf die P^ntwickelung 

 hin, die seine X'erwandten einstmal nahmen" (p. 29). This refers to P. lanceolala., 



