488 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Chatham and Auckland Islands was much later than with Australia." And 

 then he goes on to say: — "The distrihution of Anguilla latirostris, which is 

 not found nearer than China (and of A. obscura, a closely allied species, 

 which occurs in the Fiji Islands), adds its testimony to that of Lotella and 

 Ditrevia (other species named by him), of a former connection with that part 

 of the world, not by way of Australia ; and we shall find that this remark- 

 able connection with China and the Indian Archipelago, thus dimly shadowed 

 out by the fishes, gets stronger and stronger as we review the invertebrate 

 animals." 



The examination of these lower forms leads to the same general con- 

 clusions — a strong relationship on one hand with Australia, and a similar, 

 but distinct, relationship with islands and countries to the north. 



In summarizing the facts of the geographical distribution of the fauna, 

 the following results are arrived at by him: — 1. "A continental period 

 during which South America, New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa 

 were all connected, although it is not necessary that aU should have been 

 connected at the same time, but New Zealand must have been isolated from 

 all before the spread of mammals, and from that time to the present it 

 has never been completely submerged. This continent was inhabited by 

 struthious birds," etc., etc. 



2. After a period of subsidence, a second continent came into existence, 

 " stretching from New Zealand to Lord Howe's Island and New Caledonia, 

 and extending for an unknown distance into Polynesia, but certainly not so 

 far as the Sandwich Islands." And while this continent was connected 

 with China either directly or by a chain of islands, it must have been cut 

 off from the New Hebrides by a strait. 



8. " Subsidence again followed, and New Zealand was reduced for a 

 long time to a number of islands, upon many of which the moa lived." 

 This supposition is necessary to account for the number of species of 

 Binornis which formerly existed, as the birds must have been "isolated 

 from one another for a sufficiently long period to allow of specific changes 

 being brought about." 



4. Elevation ensued, the isolated islands became connected together 

 into one large island, which was not however connected with Polynesia, 

 and over which the various species of moa roamed. And lastly, 



5. By a process of subsidence the islands assumed something of their 

 present form. 



This theory is a most ingenious one, and is well worked out, and had 

 available information been at hand as to the depth of the cu'cumjacent seas, 

 no doubt many of the conclusions arrived at would have been modified. 

 The geological evidences are adduced in support of it, and though the dis- 



