13 



Buchen im Cebiet sich in der Nahe der Ausmiindung des Val Campo 

 befinden, schlossen wir auf einen Windtransport von reichlich 9 km. 

 und iiber eine Hohendifferenz von 1200 m. Am folgenden Tag begeg- 

 nete uns aber beim Abstieg ein Mann der einen Sack voll Buchen- 

 laub trug und der auf unsere Frage wozu und wohin zur Antwort 

 gab: ,,Zum drufliege auf d'Alp". Damit schrumpfte der vermeintliche 

 grosse Windtransport auf kaum 1,5 km. zusammen und wie leicht 

 durfte nicht an den rauhen Kleidern der Sennen das Laub weiter 

 verschleppt werden, so dass schiesslich fiir den eigentlichen Wind- 

 transport recht wenig iibrig bleibt". 



Concerning import by animals, it is a well-proven fact that fruits 

 and seeds often adhere to feathers or feet of birds and, in this man- 

 ner, may be carried over long distances. It is most probable that the 

 avifauna of Krakatao has been entirely driven away or destroyed 

 by the very violent eruption of 1883, which was of some month's 

 duration. The many birds found in the island after the eruption may 

 have spread seeds endozoically or exozoically. In the first months 

 after the eruption a zealous research after seeds found on birds or 

 in their droppings could have given a reliable indication that plants 

 were introduced in this manner. But such a research was then never 

 made. At the present time, now, that almost the whole of the island 

 is covered with a dense vegetation and the flora is but very imper- 

 fectly known, one cannot possibly make out whether such seeds 

 originate from the island itself or from elsewhere. Hence every assertion 

 that plants were introduced by birds is a mere supposition, nothing 

 more. The possibility may exist but proofs are entirely wanting. In 

 my discussion on the different papers on Krakatao 1 shall revert to 

 this subject. At present I only once more may emphasize the fact 

 that not one of the investigators has made any conclusive experiment 

 in order to ascertain whether spores, seeds or fruits were carried 

 over from elsewhere to Krakatao either by winds or by animals. 



Summarized, my general objections against the investigations and 

 publications concerning the renewal of the flora of Krakatao are 

 the following : By situation, size and nature the island is unsuitable 

 for an extensive and accurate investigation; up to now only very 

 small parts have been investigated and the investigations were always 

 most superficial; the intervals between the successive investigations 

 were much too long; the investigators did not possess the required 

 knowledge of the East-Indian flora and the oecological factors; after 

 the origin and manner of introduction of the new flora many guesses 



