122 
trees, just the thing for numerous forest-plants, especially epi- 
phytes. In this humus vegetate all kinds of fungi in this way 
preparing the conditions of life for higher saprophytes that live 
in community with fungi. Several orchids might be classed 
among these. 
It is surprising to note the entire absence of the Loranthaceae, 
which are common parasites on Java and Sumatra and else- 
where; which should be accounted for from the absence of the 
birds that disseminate the Loranthus-seeds. 
As regards the spreading of the plants I wish to make the 
following remarks. Leaving man out of account, and at first 
he of course contributed little or nothing, three manners of 
carrying of seeds and plants remain. In the first place by the 
wind, secondly by means of ocean-currents and thirdly by birds 
and bats. All these have done their share. Trevs and Pernzic 
found chiefly such plants as were conveyed by the sea and the 
winds. Prnzia only mentions four species whose seeds were pro- 
bably conveyed across by birds. This is natural when one reflects 
that the barren, naked island offered nothing in any way alluring 
to the birds, because there was no shade and little food. Plants, 
whose distribution is undoubtedly effected by birds, were already 
found by Ernst and myself also found fairly great numbers 
of such plants. But still most of the new plants are even now 
brought by winds and sea. Millions of seeds perish in this man- 
ner but nature works with unlimitated numbers, knows no 
haste, and therefore commands an infinite range of possibilities. 
It is not feasible to state the exact way in which each plant 
oe arrived ; in the first place because in spite the extensive litera- 
oe ture, comparatively few positive data are available to us; and 
a the second place because many kinds of plants may be dis- 
S tributed i in more ways than one. 
In the list which you may find at the end of this lecture {Ap- 
pendix D, I have stated the manner of spreading with the nearest 
‘oach to accuracy I could, but I have been often compelled 
to guess. r hope, however, to be: oe at some future time to 
ore data ¢ ese i eter ‘Probleme on the oe 
