176 A. EH. Verrili— The Bermuda Islands. 588 
more similar there, hence a much greater per cent. of West Indian 
plants would be able to establish themselves. 
Many tropical plants produce large seeds or nuts with such hard 
and impervious shells that they can float in the sea for many weeks, 
or even months, without injury. Seeds of certain West Indian 
plants cast ashore with seaweeds on the coast of Bermuda, in recent 
times, have been seen to germinate and grow there, as the Soap- 
berry Tree (Sapindus saponaria), the Mahoe, etc. Many true sea- 
side plants have seeds of this kind and have thus acquired a very 
wide distribution.* 
Floating decayed drift-wood, or drifting trees with roots and 
earth adherent, having drifted northward in the Gulf Stream, may 
then have been cast upon the Bermuda shores by the prevailing 
southwest winds, thus bringing seeds, insects in the pupa state, 
reptiles, snails, earthworms, ete. Such cases have occurred in modern 
times. 
Possibly many minute, light seeds, and some small winged seeds, 
may have been carried as far as Bermuda in gales of wind, or in 
hurricanes. But plants having downy pappus on the seeds, or with 
regularly winged seeds, were not numerous in the native flora. The 
spores of ferns and mosses can thus be carried long distances by the 
wind, which accounts for their wide distribution. 
Of the 156 species of flowering plants and ferns that appear to 
have been natives, about 115 species inhabit also the coastal regions 
of North America, much the larger part of these being found in 
Florida, but some also occur in New England. Among these the 
Bayberry (Myrica cerifera) is very noticeable in the marshes. Its 
seeds are eaten by many birds, including the yellow-rumped warbler 
and the catbird. 
About 118 of the species are native of the West Indies, and of 
- these about 90 species are also found in Florida or adjacent parts of 
North America, but they are probably of West Indian origin. 
About 28 species are West Indian, and not found in Florida, and 
about the same number are of North American origin and not found 
in the West Indies. 
In the last named group are the Nettle-tree (Celtis), the Wood- 
bine, and the “Poison ivy” (Rhus toxicodendron). The latter is 
still very common and was mentioned by the earliest settlers as ‘“ the 
poison weed.” Governor Butler, in 1619, gave a good description 
* Hemsley (op. cit., p. 48) enumerates about 45 species of the native Bermuda 
plants, in his list of those that have such seeds. 
