130 Scientific Intelligence. 
Azores, Madeira, and the C ; by Oswatp bo Gee a letter to 
DeCanvoute) —In your ng hy of Plants you have adopted 
the opinion of Edward Forbes, that in the Miocene period the European 
continent extended to the Azores and Canaries, and supported it by fresh 
proofs.* In fact, the predominant European character of these Islands, 
which occurs in their insects as well as in their flora, proves that they 
~~ anciently joined to the continent. Nevertheless we must not forget 
eri 
agency of the winds and currents, or of man, but American genera which 
are represented by peculiar species. I will instance the genera — 
Ryiiveleine. and Cedronella, as also the o ue er ot the Can 
{Pinus canariensis, Sm.), which belongs to the American forms vid 
acicular ternate leaves, The relations of the Spies is very remarkable 
in this respect; they form a great part of the forests of Madeira and the 
Canaries,  * into four species and playing an important part. 
apecies Oreodaphne foctens and Persea indica) are essentially American 
types ; the third (Phebe Barbusana, phe % poten toa genus which 
oo in = ia and Fe MOSR and the fourth (Laurus canariensis, Webb) 
with the ropean species. By the possession of these laurel 
‘eieais Pine islands of ‘< Atlantic differ greatly from the African conti- 
nent, where they are entirely wanting, and approach America rather than 
Africa, Rep omiger ens! the proximity of the latter. 
obtain great importance by the observation that the flora 
_ the A Aeutio islands has much resemblance to the Tertiary flora 
rope. { 
Th my ‘Flora Tertiaria Helvetiz, I have proved that a considerable 
number of plants of the Tertiary epoch corresponded with species pecu- 
liar to Madeira and the Canaries, in such a manner that there must be @ 
We find similar cases amongst the renyage —— and insects, 
ee this is not so positive = with regard 
circumstances are skate, “fe we suppose tha 
during the Tertiary dpoek a terrestial formation united the continents of 
urope and America, and that this surface was extended by some PFO” 
jection to the Atlantic islands. A glance at the map of the depths of 
* DeCandolle, Géographie Botanique raisonnée, p. 1310. 
