348 CONSEQUENT SPECULATION. 



northern and southern sides of Torres Strait mentioned before, 

 page 229, as each group would spread into the newly-formed sea, 

 from the nearest adjacent shores, the Molucca group coming from 

 the north, and the Australian from the south. 



The existing vegetation of the two countries would seem to have 

 originated, or at least to have spread over their opposite shores 

 since their separation. 



The speculations hinted at here were, I ought to say, suggested 

 to me by the perusal of Professor Forbes's most original paper 

 on the Distribution of the British Fauna and Flora, in the Me- 

 moirs of the Geological Survey of Great Britain. 



