PROOFS OF RECENT SUBSIDENCE. 255 
and some other New Zealand plants grow, and that the parroquet 
is also found there. 
With regard to the Chatham Islands, which have been more 
completely explored than the scattered islets lying at a greater 
or less distance from the main islands, the vegetation both on 
the low and high lands is found to be nearly identical with that 
of those parts of New Zealand which are situated at the same 
latitudes. Only two or three plants peculiar to the country are 
met with.* New Zealand birds abound there. Leaving out of 
account those species which are capable of a sustained flight, we 
find in the occurrence of certain other species a well-demonstrated 
proof of an isolation which occurred at no very distant period. 
One of these species which is found in the Chatham Islands is 
the southern rail (Ocydvomus australis), a running bird, with rudi- 
mentary wings. We also meet with the big night-parrot (Strigops 
habroptilus ), whose wings are not strong enough to enable the bird 
to fly. The insects which have been observed are similar to 
those of New Zealand. 
In Norfolk Island, situated about sdeg. lat. north of New 
Zealand, tropical forms make their appearance in the fauna and 
flora, and yet the resemblance between the plants and animals 
of these two regions is sufficiently striking. The vegetation, 
like that of New Zealand, is characterised by the abundance of 
its ferns. On its little archipelago we notice the same tree-fern 
(Cyathea medullaris), the same palm, the same liliaceous plants 
(Phormium, Cordyline australis, and Dianella intermedia), and the same 
pepper-trees (Piperomia urvilleana and Piper excelss). More remark- 
able still, we there meet with the parrots of the genus Nestor, 
a remarkable type of birds, and very characteristic of New 
Zealand. 
The Kermadec Islands, lying to the east of the Norfolk 
Islands, are still less known to us; however, a collection of their 
plants shows that a remarkable analogy exists in the flora of 
these islands with those of Norfolk Island and New Zealand. 
Thus all the natural phenomena go to show that New Zea- 
land, with the multitude of islets situated at a greater or less 
distance from its shores, the Auckland and Macquarrie Islands 
to the south-west, Chatham, Antipodes, and Bounty Islands to 
the east, have been separated at a recent period, at a time when 
the plants and animals were found associated in the conditions 
under which they still live upon the debris of a continent or ot a 
vast tract of land now, in great measure, sunk beneath the 
waves. Campbell Island, by turns submerged and elevated 
during geological epochs, was to all appearance greatly spread 
out towards New Zealand, and perhaps was united to it during 
some centuries of the present period. In this respect we should 
not be much longer in doubt, if the entomological fauna of New 
Zealand were fully studied in its relations to that of the Auck- 
* The Chatham Islands do not possess the Pittosporee, Metrosideros or Cordyline 
_ of New Zealand. 
