604 



ZOOLOGY 



SECT- 



the nearest continent by 21 miles of shallow sea, is divided from 

 Australia by 1,000 miles of ocean the Tasman Sea varying 

 from 2,000 to 2,600 fathoms (12,000-15,600 feet) in depth. It is 

 almost certain that there was never any direct connection between 

 the two countries, and the only indication of even an indirect 

 connection is afforded by the existence of an area of comparatively 

 shallow sea i.e., under 1,000 fathoms stretching between the 

 North Island of New Zealand on the one hand and Northern 

 Australia and New Guinea on the other (Fig. 1252). It would 

 take, therefore, an upheaval of over 6,000 feet to join the two 

 countries, and it may be taken as certain that if there ever was a 



90 



FlQ. 1252. Map showing depths of sea around Australia and New Zealand. The light 

 shade indicates a depth of less than 1,000 fathoms ; the dark shade indicates a 

 depth of more than 1,000 fathoms. (From Wallace.) 



direct connection, either by continuous land or by a chain of 

 islands, such connection could not have been later than the early 

 part of the Mesozoic era. 



It must also be noted that while the British fauna is related 

 exclusively to that of Europe, the New Zealand fauna presents not 

 only Australian but also Polynesian and South American affinities . 

 Some of the Birds are represented by the same or closely allied 

 species in New Caledonia, while the land Molluscs and Insects, 

 the Fresh-water Lamprey (Geotria), and the Earthworms, show 

 South American affinities. In this connection it is interesting 

 to find that there is a submerged bank of less depth than 

 the surrounding ocean under 2,000 fathoms passing west- 



