120 On the Flora and Fauna of Santa Criiz. 



Croix, but found liying in tlie islands of Vieque, and Puerto 

 Eico." 



To Baron H. F. A. Eggers, scientists are indebted for an ex- 

 tremely valuable |)aper on ' ' The Flora of St. Croix and the 

 Virgin Islands" (Bulletin U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 13 ; Washing- 

 ton, 1879), from which I offer extracts. The distribution of 

 the plants has an imj)ortant bearing on that of the terrestrial 

 mollusca, and the evidence to be derived therefrom as to the 

 former faunal counections of Santa Cruz. 



Baron Eggers remarks : — " Looking at the vegetation of St. 

 Croix and the Virgin Islands in its generality, and without en- 

 tering into details, we may consider it to be identical, showing 

 the same main features." * * * "Yet, in looking more 

 closely into details, we are soon struck by finding a great many 

 species in the one which are not found in the other." 



Eeferring to the list of plants given in his paper, it will be 

 seen, the author says, that "out of a number of 881 indigenous 

 phanerogamous species no less than 215, or c. 4, are found in 

 the Virgin Islands only, whilst 98, or about \, occur only in St. 

 Croix, thus leaving only 568, or less than |, common to both." 

 He adds, that it is ''in the forest vegetation, which best re- 

 presents the original flora of the islands, that the greatest and 

 most varied differences are obserA"ed, showing especially the 

 great variety of species in the Virgin Islands which are not at 

 all found in St. Croix, and among Avhich are many of the com- 

 monest and most generally distributed forms." * * * 



"However great are the differences in the flora on the two 

 groups of islands, yet this interesting fact is not due to their 

 possessing endemic species, as all the plants known as growing 

 on them are also found in other West India Islands, especially 

 Porto Eico, whence the vegetation of both the Virgin Islands 

 and St. Croix seems to be derived." 



With respect to the question, " Why is it that St. Croix, 

 although the largest of all, has received a comparatively and 

 absolutely much less number of species than, for instance, the 

 far smaller St. Thomas ?" Baron Eggers offers the following 

 solution : — " I am thus led to think that, at a former period, all 

 the West India islands have been connected mutually, and perhaps 

 with a part of the American continent also, during which time 



