96 Capt. F. W. Hutton on the OeograjyJiical 



tulariidaj, and consisting of two species — one of which is found 

 in New Zealand, and the other in Madeira. 



Summary. 



If now we review the evidence adduced, and select the more 

 important points, we find in the distribution of the Struthious 

 birds, the frogs, freshwater fishes, several shells (such as 

 Cyclina Kroyerij Mytilus mageUanicus^ Anoniia alectOj Bar- 

 hatia pusilla, Chione Stutchhuryi^ and Ranella vexillum), in 

 the genus Henicoj^s among the Centipedes, and Perijmtus 

 among the Annelids, evidence of a former great extension of 

 land in the southern hemisphere ; for these cases cannot all 

 be accounted for by drifting icebergs. With the exception of 

 the shells and two freshwater fishes, no species, however, is 

 common to New Zealand and South America on the one hand, 

 nor to New Zealand and South Africa on the other ; for I omit 

 from consideration the species of marine fish, as they might 

 perhaps have crossed at a later date. In the frogs the genera, 

 and in the birds the families are difierent. This perhaps in- 

 dicates a very long interval since the separation of these 

 countries took place ; but differentiation of form, even in 

 closely allied species, is evidently a very fallacious guide in 

 judging of lapse of time, and a surer one is afforded us in the 

 absence of Mammalia from New Zealand ; for it is evident that 

 if the marsupials that now inhabit Australia, or the placental 

 mammals that inhabit South America, had been in existence 

 at the time of the distribution of the Strutliious birds, some 

 members would have found their way to New Zealand, and 

 would have remained upon it witli the moas. This antarctic 

 continental period must therefore have preceded the spread of 

 the Mammalia into the southern hemisphere. Besides this 

 continental period we have evidence in Eudynamis taitiensis^ 

 Naultinus 'pacificus^ Amphlhola aveUana^ Musca taitiensis^ and 

 in the genera Ocydromus and Xestor, of a Polynesian conti- 

 nent quite unconnected with Australia, but iiicluding Lord- 

 Howe Island, Norfolk Island, and New Caledonia ; while by 

 Helix coniformis^ II. rajyida^ H. radiaria and 11. vitrea we 

 can prove a close connexion with the New Hebrides, Solomon 

 Islands, Louisiade archipelago, and the Admiralty Islands. 

 By Nanina among land-shells and Assiiainea among fresh- 

 water shells, we prove a connexion also with the Navigator 

 and Friendly Islands ; and these genera take us north through 

 the Molucca Islands, Celebes, Borneo, and the Philippines to 

 China, where we again come across many New-Zealand species 

 and genera. The most important are : — Ditrema^ Torpedo^ 

 and Anguilla latirostris among fishes ; Mytilus smaragdinus^ 

 PhoruSj Botella, Calyptrcea, Cassidula mustelinayLymncea, and 



