106 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS 



ascertained to be also an inhabitant of the Northern 

 Hemisphere, and ahnost all of them European. Sir John 

 Hooker, who was the botanist in connection with another 

 Antarctic expedition some sixty years ago, tells in his report 

 that one-fifth of all sea weeds found were of species common 

 to the British Seas. He has suggested that cold currents 

 which prevail from Cape Horn to the Equator and are there 

 met by other cold waters, and by their direct influence, as well 

 as by their temperature, facilitate the passage of Antarctic 

 species to the Arctic Ocean. This consideration, however, 

 has nothing to do with the winds, but rather with tl;e agency- 

 due to rivers and currents which, however, I cannot do more 

 than name. There is no doubt that the mountain stream or 

 torrent washes down to the valley the seeds which may 

 accidentally fall into it, or which it may happen to swtep 

 from its banks when it suddenly overflows them. 



The majestic river, winding along the extensive plain 

 and traversing the continents of the world, conveys to the 

 distance of many hundred miles the seeds that may have 

 vegetated at its source. The absence of liquid matter in the 

 composition of seeds renders them comparatively insensible to 

 heat and cold, so that the)^ may be carried without detriment 

 through climates where the plants themselves would instantly 

 perish. 



Dr. J. Hooker is authority for the statement that no one 

 of the large nutural orders of plants is so rich in species 

 common to other countries as the Leguminosae (plants with 

 pea-shaped flowers). The seeds in this order, which 

 comprises the largest proportion of widely diffused species, 

 are better adapted than those of any other plants for water 

 carriage. 



Currents aud winds in the Arctic regions drift along ice- 

 bergs covered with an alluvial soil on which plants and pine 

 saplings are seen growing, which may often continue to 

 vegetate on some distant shore where the ice island is 

 stranded. 



AGENCY OF MAN. 



But in addition to all the agents I have already 



