252 The American Naturalist. [April, 
coast the seeds or fruits of sixteen species of plants, and upon 
the mountain, eight species of flowering plants, and eleven of 
ferns. Four of the phanerogams were composites. When it is 
remembered that all plants previously existing upon the island 
perished in consequence of the heat of the eruption, and that 
the whole island was at that date covered with a thick layer of 
scoria, the existence of a new flora is surprising proof of the 
part played in plant-colonization by currents, wind, and birds. 
All the species found upon the coast, except Gymnothrix ele- 
gans, a grass which is very common in Java, are identical with 
thosecolonizing species which are found in recent coral islands. 
Only two of the mountain species were identical with those of 
the coast. As regards the number of individuals, M. Treub 
says, "three years after the eruption, the new flora of Kraka- 
toa is composed almost entirely of ferns. The phanerogams 
occur insolated here and there." Yet the soil is not at all 
favorable in its composition for the growth of ferns, which have 
been preceded by two species of mosses and six of algae, the 
decay of which has furnished aliment to the ferns which in 
their turn prepare the ground for the phanerogams. 
The Island Reunion. — According to M. A. Blonde 
{Bull. d. I. Socicte de Geographic) the island of Bourbon, or, as 
it is now called Reunion, discovered in 1 545 by the Portuguese 
Mascarenhas, and taken possession of by France in 1649, is 
of elliptical form, its greater axis running N.W. and S.E., and 
its greatest length and width being 71 and 57 kilometres 
respectively. The island is entirely volcanic, and seems to have 
been formed by a volcano originally situated at the N.W 
extremity, but which was displaced southward until it finally 
reached the S.E. extremity, where it is still in activity. The 
route of this volcano is marked by extinct craters ranged 
symmetrically on both sides of the axis, the principal those of 
Mufate, Ciloss, and Salazie. From these great circles spring 
the three great torrents of the island, the rivers Galets, St. 
Etienna, and Midi. These are separated by high mountains, 
among which are Grand-Beirard, 2,970 metres, Cimandef 2,250, 
Pitore de les Neiges, 3,069, and Salago, 2,150 m. 
New Guinea.— According to Prince Roland Bonaparte 
the share of Holland in New Guinea has an area of 382,000 
sq. kilometres, that of England 230,000, and that of Germany 
232,000. The last includes 52,000 sq. kil. of smaller islands, 
