Q2 , JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 
which are common to New Zealand and other parts of the world, 
we may notice first that there is no absolute need on the part of 
the botanist, as there is on the part of the zoologist, to assume the 
existence in long past ages of former land connections with 
countries lying round about. But we have now reason to believe 
that there were former land extensions which served to widen the 
area of New Zealand as it existed in olden times, and to bring it 
into closer proximity with other countries. From the Antarctic 
circle a constant succession of south-westerly and southerly 
winds and currents may have served from time to time to convey 
seeds, and birds carrying seeds in their crops and attached to 
their feet, &c. ; while icebergs may have aided in carrying masses 
of earth, spores, and seeds of certain Antarctic species of plants. 
The Antarctic continent, of which the now existing portions are 
probably only fragments, had in all likelihood alternations of 
climate such as we know to have existed at its antipodes, and 
during some of its warmer epochs it would be invaded by plants 
from South America. These would thus become spread round 
the south pole, from thence to be distributed radially to the 
countries lying north, as the climate again altered. Not only 
would Antarctic forms thus find their way into New Zealand, but: 
it is by this means that South American forms were likely intro- 
duced, and it is by this spreading north from a common centre 
that we must account for so many species which are found both 
here and in the Tasmanian and Australian Alps. Why some 
species should become modified, and others remain persistent, I 
do not know. Thus our fuchsias and pepper-trees are distinct. 
from the species found in South America, though certainly derived 
from that region, while our tutu plants (Coviaria angustifolia and 
thymifolia) are identical with others found on the Andes. We 
cannot work out these problems with our present information, for 
the necessary factors are wanting. 
The northern extension of New Zealand, indicated by Mr. 
Wallace as existing formerly, would bring it into very close 
proximity to North-eastern Australia, which may then have been 
in form of a long, narrow island running nearly north and south, 
and also close to extensive sub-continental areas, of which only 
the remains are now left in the Polynesian Islands. And not 
only did those forms which are common to New Zealand and 
Australia, and New Zealand and Polynesia, find their way thus 
southwards, but it was probably by this chain that the plants of 
European and Asiatic affinity now found in our islands were 
introduced, But it was only at a much later period that an 
upheaval took place of the comparatively shallow seas separating 
the eastern and western portions of Australia, and that those 
forms now characteristic of Australia, and which had been long 
developing under the peculiar conditions of their isolation in the 
western portion, overran the whole continent and stamped their 
features so markedly on its flora. And it is to this explanation 
that we must look in accounting for the presence of so many 
plants in New Zealand and Eastern Australia which are not found 
at all in Western Australia. A few specially Australian plants 
may have at later periods found their way into this Colony, as the 
prevalent winds here are from the west; and birds are still found 
which have apparently strayed across the intervening expanse of , 
