THE POLYNESIANS AND THEIR PLANT-NAMES, 143 



islands, given in his Botam/ of the " Challeiiger,'" I may lieve 

 remark tliat it is described in general terms in the narrative 

 of Kittlitz,* and is figured in his Vieios of the Pacific Vegeta- 

 tion, where it was also identified and noted by Dr. Seemanu 

 in his English edition of the Views. Now, the island of 

 Kusaie lies in the course of the Pacific Counter Current 

 which runs to the eastward from the Malay Archipelago right 

 across the Pacific between the parallels of about 4° to 8° N.f 

 Here the Nipa Palm has reached the last spot where it could 

 find a station. Beyond lie the coral atolls of the j\larshall 

 Group that could afibrd no home to a plant that fretpients the 

 extensive coast swamps and lines the mouths of large rivers 

 in Asia and in the Archipelago. Most of the familiar httoral 

 plants of Polynesia have probably reached their present home 

 by the path attempted in vain by the Nipa Palm. Since they 

 for the most part frequent coral islands, the atolls of the 

 Marshall, Gilbert, and Ellice Groups would form so many 

 stepping-stones by Avhich, in the season of the north-west 

 Avinds, they would be able to find their Avay to Samoa and 

 P^'iji in spite of the westerly drift of the Equatorial Current. 

 The Polynesian, I assume, has entered the Pacific by the 

 route followed by the floating seed, or, in other words, by 

 Micronesia.^ 



Passing from the agency of the currents we turn to those 

 of birds. The fruits of species of Eugenia ., Ficus, and of 

 plants like Kleinhovta liospita and of some of the palms, like 

 Kentia, are known to be eaten by pigeons, parrots, and other 

 birds, and probably in many cases birds have stocked these 

 islands Avith such plants. 



With reference to man, there can be but little doubt that 

 he was first instrumental in introducing into this region the 

 cultivated plants, all, or almost all, of which have their home 

 in the Indian Archipelago. We may safely postulate the 

 tact that Nature unassisted has not laid herself out to provide 

 the Polynesian with the fruits he there enjoys. The fern- 

 root was the principal spontaneous offering of New Zealand 

 to the Maori, who brought the sweet-potato and the taro 



* Reise nach rvssische Ameriha, naoh I/ikron^sieii, etc. Gotha, 1858, 

 vol. ii, p. 35. 



t Bedford's Sailor's Pocket Book. 



X It is of course possible that floating fruits like those of Barrinqtonia 

 speciosa have beeu carried by the Counter Current across the Pacific and 

 back again by the Equatorial to Polynesia. 



L 2 



