1892. ] A Peculiar Case of Plant Dissemination. 321 
ing apparatus, etc., for deep sea work. Unfortunately, the 
methods of work preclude the use of preserved material, as 
this subject can only be prosecuted by means of culture work. 
Not only would such a department of research upon our sci- 
entific exploring expeditions add greatly to our knowledge of 
bacterial life, but the lower forms of fungi could be investi- 
gated as well. 
University of Chicago. 
A peculiar case of plant dissemination. 
EDWARD L. BERTHOUD. 
Studying lately with intense interest ‘‘Island Life,” by 
“Alfred Russell Wallace, and his remarks upon the dissemina- 
tion of plant life everywhere, both on continents and islands, 
it brought to my mind what many years ago I had observed 
during a long residence, and numberless scouts, excursions, 
Surveys and pleasure trips I have made in the region included 
between the Missouri river and Great Salt Lake, and from the 
345° N. latitude to that of Eau qui Court in Dakota,and Sun 
Tiver in Montana. 
As these may be of interest and some value in the determi- 
nations of geographical botany,and have a bearing in the elu- 
Cidation of geological botany, I will briefly give the more 
salient points of these observations. I can show to some ex- 
tent that between the Missouri river and the Rocky moun- 
tains, the American buffalo has been an efficient agent in plant 
dissemination. Until within twenty-six years the buffalo was 
nown to range from Peace river and Athabaska valley to cen- 
tral Texas. Very much as our Indian tribes are known to do, 
i buffalo uniformly followed trails in their annual migrations 
th M north to south, or vice versa, very rarely deviating from 
€m, whether across prairie or woods, or over spurs © he 
ocky mountain range, on their migrations through South, 
i ins. A 
age and, following the best ground for their migra- 
~S their Sagacity or instinct (if you choose so to call their » 
Vol. XVII.— No. 10. 
