274 A NATURALIST IN THE PACIFIC chap. 



north, since it is likely, as pointed out in a later page, that the 

 Carices of the Hawaiian uplands came originally from north- 

 eastern Asia. 



In the previous paragraphs the mountain genera have been 

 considered with especial reference to their distribution and source 

 beyond the confines of the Pacific. If we now briefly discuss them 

 from the standpoint of their distribution within the Pacific, or 

 rather as concerning their presence or absence in the Fijian and 

 Tahitian groups, we shall see that to a large extent Hawaii has 

 received its mountain genera of this era independently of the other 

 Pacific groups. 



Mountain genera possessing only peculiar species, in Hawaii only ... 20 

 „ „ „ „ in Hawaii and Fiji . . 2 



„ „ ,, ,, in Hawaii and Tahiti . o 



„ „ „ „ in all three groups . . 4 



26 



It is here shown that three-fourths of the genera of the 

 Hawaiian mountains in this era are not found either in Fiji or 

 Tahiti. This, as before pointed out, is mainly to be attributed to 

 the greater elevation of the Hawaiian Islands. Had there been 

 an island 13,000 to 14,000 feet in height in Fiji, we cannot think 

 that any such contrast in the floras would have existed. The 

 temperate genera of the Hawaiian uplands would have been 

 largely represented in the Fijian flora. Yet although we do not 

 find such genera as Ranunculus, Geranium, Sanicula, Uncinia, &c, 

 in Fiji and Tahiti, a small number of the Hawaiian mountain 

 genera have obtained a scanty footing. This is what we might 

 have expected. Thus, Lagenophora has been found on the 

 mountains of Vanua Levu, and Vaccinium in Tahiti and Raro- 

 tonga ; whilst Coprosma and Astelia occur on the tops of some 

 of the mountains in both regions. In Fiji their distribution seems 

 sporadic, as shown not in Lagenophora alone, but also by Astelia, 

 which has been found only on the summit of Kandavu. 



The Capacities for Dispersal of the Hawaiian Non-endemic 

 Mountain Genera possessing only Peculiar Species. — As shown in 

 the Table, seven, or 27 per cent., of these genera have fleshy fruits 

 that would attract frugivorous birds. In three cases (Gunnera, 

 Coprosma, Myoporum) they are drupes, in three others (Rubus, 

 Vaccinium, Astelia) they are berries, and in one (Exocarpus) 

 there is a nut with a fleshy perigone. It is particularly interesting 

 to notice that frugivorous birds, and I include here granivorous 



