98 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 
more striped. Geological and historical evidences are in favour of 
the former view, and we find transitional specimens between the 
different kinds of zebra, which lead to the belief that change is still 
going on in the present day. It is interesting to note how the 
quagega inclines to equine characters and the other two forms some~ 
what to those of the wild asses of Cutch and Thibet. This would 
seem to indicate a tendency of the zebras to branch off into new 
forms, as the original stock did, exhibiting equine, asinine, and 
zebraic characters. 
To conclude: Study of the feral equines enables us to determine 
what are the essential characters of the group and to contrast them 
with those found in the horse and the common ass warped by 
domestication. It teaches us what are the natural conditions of the 
horse, from which we may draw useful lessons as to preservation of 
his health. It places us in a position to appreciate the enormous 
influence exerted by man on the horse and ass. Some valuable 
general conclusions on artificial and natural selection, on geogra- 
phical and geological range, and on other important problems of 
natural history can be derived from the study; and, finally, to the 
sportsman and even to the student of economy our subject should 
prove interesting and instructive. To the zealous student the 
group of Hquide presents many problems to be solved and much 
error and mawkish sentiment to be estimated at its true value in 
the search for truth. 
THE CONDITIONS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS 
AND THE MEANS BY WHICH JT IS PERFORMED, 
WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO INDIAN SPECIES. 
By G. Carstensen, Cand. Hort. R.D.A.A. (Copenhagen), 
F.R.D.H.S. (Copenhagen), Superintendent, Victoria Gardens, 
Bombay. 
(Read at the Society’s Meeting on 5th March, 1888.) 
TuoucH it would be very tempting to give you a demonstration 
of the vast number of picturesque features that are caused by the 
natural association of plants, or to point out for you the striking 
peculiarities of vegetation in various climates and regions, or, in 
short, to describe the multifarious aspects of geographical distribu- 
tion of plants, I shall resist the temptation, and confine my 
remarks to some of the causes on which local flora depend, 
