38 Annivprsnry Address. 



known Pine, whilst a linge Banyan or Picus is tlie distinguisliing 

 plant of Howe's Island. 



It is tliis plant wlrif-li has induced tlie belief tliat Howe'^ 

 Island belongs to a widex* area now submerged. 



I confess I have always held the opinion that the east coast of 

 New South Wales formerly extended more to the eastward ; and 

 as soundings are known to exist between it and New Zealand, 

 that the ancient laud that once existed in the open space suifered 

 the same change that affected the base of the Barrier Eeef 

 farther to the south. This, however, is certain, that if there has 

 been subsidence, there has also been eleA-^ation in various islands 

 to the eastward of Australia, as I showed many years ago in 

 relation to Lifu Island in the same region as the Isle of Pines. 

 And on reference to Sir Charles Ly ell's a.rguments •" On Insular 

 rioras and Eaunas," (Principles ii., cJi. 41,) we may see what 

 can be said on the opinion, that such islands as Howe's were 

 raised out of the ocean by successive eruptions from great depths 

 during periods of slow elevation. 



The collections I have examined of the rocks in that group 

 exhibit nothing of an}- great antiquity, a fact also established by 

 the existence of continuous life in the Bulimus which is found 

 fossilised in the beds of detritus and marine relics that have been, 

 and are being, now still further raised above the sea level by the 

 process of leisurely elevation, such as is exhibited by the present 

 surface, the extension of the western beach seawards and by a 

 similar gentle rising on tlie opposite Australian coast, as about 

 Moreton Bay. 



"Whether Howe's Island, attaining as it does to an elevation 

 equal to the height of many parts of the Austi-alian Cordil- 

 Ipsa. mav have been one of Hie sourr-os. whcnci'. flowed the 

 o-reai b;i.*iilti<- srve;ini> rli.ii .ii]" .<" )0;ni\ poiii!.- "I iIm- iji.iuihiiul 

 iinoul'l init be ea.-^V 1" n'Mii()fi.<l r;i1i;' : Imi.i: rli<i«j dwr.-- not ,i|ijH',ir 

 \<j be iiuy dis.-jrp;im-y between ilic i;ges ilinf liavc been iiSfignei-l 

 to those lava flows and to the islands on which Lyell has 

 commented. 



As a further proof that we have much to learn as to the 

 continuance of certain species from a somewhat earlier epoch 

 into the present ( which is the case with the Bulimi of Howe's 



