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Ch. XL.] 



MIGEATIOX OF PLANTS. 



881 



Head Moth {Acherontia atrojjos) also flew on board tlie Hotspur 

 during the same homeward voyage^ in lat, 40° 29' N. lono-. 

 IS"* W., or 2 GO miles from the nearest land (the coast of 

 Portugal) after an easterly gale. They had already traversed 

 more than two-thirds of the distance from Europe to Madeira^ 

 and the case affords a good illustration of the manner in 

 Avliich islands far out at sea may be peopled with insects 

 from the nearest continents."^ 



To the southward of the river Plate^ off Cape St. Antonio, 

 and at the distance of fifty miles from land^ several large 



dragon-flies 



alighted 



on the 



Adventure frigate^ during 



Captain King's expedition to the Straits of Magellan. If 

 the wind abates when insects are thus crossing the sea, 

 the most delicate species are not necessarily drowned ; for 

 many can repose without sinking on the water. The slender 

 long-legged Tipulse have been seen standing on the surface 

 of the sea, when driven out far from our coast, which took 

 wing immediately on being approached. f Exotic beetles are 

 sometimes thrown on our shore, which revive after havinp- 

 been long drenched in salt water; and the periodical aj)- 

 pearance of some conspicuous butterflies amongst us, after 

 being unseen some for five, others for fifty years, has been 

 ascribed, not without probability, to the agency of the winds. 



BOTANICAL GEOGEAPHY. 



Scarcely 1,400 species of plants appear to have been 

 known and described by the Greeks, Eomans, and Arabians. 

 At present, more than 3,000 species are enumerated as 

 natives of our own island.J In other parts of the world 

 there have been now collected more than 100,000 reputed 



specimens 



bariums 



It was not to be supposed, therefore. 



that 



the 



ancients should have acquired any correct notions respecting 



what has been called the 



geography of plants, although 



■^ Both the above-mentioned insects of my friend, the late Mr. John Curtis, 

 were shown at a meetmg of the Zoo- the able entomoloirist. 

 logical Society by Mr. Flower, May 22, 

 1866. 



t I state this fact on the authority 



I Barton's Lectures on the Geograx)hy 

 of Plants, p. 2. 1827. 



