INTRODUCTIO]^. 



This world, the abode of the human race, is so wonderfully replete 

 with organic life, and the harmonious perfection of each organism 

 reveals so gloriously the divine power of the Supreme who created 

 the universe, that the elucidation of His living works in nature 

 around us must ever be one of the most elevating designs of the 

 intellect of man. The mind longs to reflect on the destiny assigned 

 to each in the great economy of nature, and to shed light as far as 

 it is within wordly power on all as yet obscure. Hence our desire to 

 penetrate every locality occupied by living creation ; hence the per- 

 suasion that nothing is too insignificant to be drawn into the sphere 

 of an enlightened enquiry. Not until the searching naturalist has 

 traversed every spot of the globe can he fully understand and appre- 

 ciate the relation and afiinities of its various natural productions ; not 

 until then can a complete and logical arrangement of the animals and 

 plants contemporaneous with the human species be accomplished. 



To offer a trifling contribution towards such an object is the aim 

 of these pages. If under any circumstances a deep interest is attached 

 to isolated islands, which harbour perhaps the only remnant of the 

 vegetation or the animal life of countries ages ago sunk beneath the 

 ocean, this interest cannot be otherwise than most vividly excited in 

 regard to the " Chatham-Islands," inasmuch as this little group is 

 the last eastward of New Zealand, no further land existing under 

 those latitudes in the wide interjacent oceanic space until the west- 

 coast of South America is reached. 



Before entering into a detailed exposition of the plants of those 

 islands, which is the main purpose of this writing, it may not be 

 inappropriate to review the results of previous exertions for the 

 revelation of their flora. 



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