102 Mr. F. Bates on New Genera 



Eucalyptus, for instance, is somewhat parallel to that of the 

 marsupials, and can be only explained in the same way. 

 Stilbocatpa -polaris has its nearest allies in China and the 

 Himalaya Momitains ; while the distribution of Metrosideros, 

 Ligusticuni, Angelica, and, perhaps, Veronica implies a con- 

 nexion between New Zealand and Asia not by way of Aus- 

 tralia. This connexion is obscured by the great preponder- 

 ance of Australian and South-American forms, but still fur- 

 nishes an indistinct copy of the bolder outline sketched out by 

 the fauna. This is owing to the wider distribution of genera 

 among plants than among animals ; and to me it appears to 

 prove that the flora of a country, as a whole, is of a more ancient 

 date than its fauna. Among the cryptogamic plants no trace 

 of this outline can be discerned, as also is the case with the 

 lower classes of the animal kingdom, owing to the genera 

 having been, so to say, universally spread before the last mi- 

 gration from Asia took place. 



That the facies of a fauna and flora should date back from 

 so long a period as I suppose, is certainly at variance with or- 

 dinarily received opinion ; but from a study of the fauna and 

 geology of New Zealand I do not see how we can escape from 

 the conclusions that I have arrived at, I am well aware, 

 however, that much more has to be done in the geology and 

 natm'al history not only of our own islands, but also of the sur- 

 rounding countries, before they can be considered satisfacto- 

 rily proved ; but I think that it will be easier afterwards to 

 prove this hypothesis, or to disprove it and point out a more 

 correct one, than it would be to detect it if the discussion had 

 been postponed to a future period, when the more salient points 

 will probably be obscured by the mass of facts which will then 

 have accumulated. Such, at least, is my hope ; but whether 

 I am mistaken or not I leave others to judge. 



XIV. — Descriptions of New Genera and Species o/'Heteromera, 

 chiefly from New Zealand and New Caledonia, together loith 

 a Revision of the Genus Hypaulax and a Description of an 

 allied New Genus from Colombia. By Fkederick Bates. 



[Concluded from p. 24] 



TiT^NA, Erichson. 



For the better understanding of the two new genera that 

 follow it is necessary to add to the published descriptions of 

 the genus Titcena as follows : — Prostemum narrow and very 



