OF ANIMALS AND PLANTS, 



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128. The Region of Easter Island and Salas. Two islands of 

 limited area, and described as barren and destitute of trees. Proba- 

 bly presenting a trace of a distinct botanical region. 



129. The Nukahivan Island-Region. Confined to the narrow 

 limits of the Marquesas Group of islands. 



130. The Island-Region of Banabe or Ascension, and TJalan. 

 Two rocky islands, one of them within the border of the extensive 

 coral-archipelago of the Carolines. Probably affording a few pecu- 

 liar species of plants. 



131. The Marian or Ladrone Island-Region. A group extend- 

 ing widely from North to South, but the islands in general small. 



132. The BoNiN Island-Region. A small detached group of islands ; 

 known to afford a trace of a distinct botanical region. 



133. The Hawaiian Island-Region. Situated in the midst of the 

 North Pacific, at a vast distance from any other coast or rocky island. 

 Possessing many independent features, and affording not less than a 

 thousand peculiar species of plants. 



XI. The Tropical American Adaptation. 



Prevailing over a comparatively limited portion of the broad en- 

 circling Tropical Zone. Seventeen botanical regions may be distin- 

 guished. Colored yellow in the accompanying map. 



The two regions to be first mentioned are Desert-regions, shut out 

 b) the Andes and bearing little resemblance to the remainder of 

 Tropical America in the climate and vegetable growth. They form, 

 therefore, a distinct Subdivision, which may possibly include the 

 Galapagos Islands. 



134. The Desert-Region of Lower Peru. Extending along the 

 Pacific from S. latitude 4° to the commencement of the Atacaman 

 Desert. Notwithstanding the near vicinity to the Equator, the cli- 

 mate is temperate to perfection ; the sky being very generally over- 

 cast, with frequent drizzle or heavy mist, but no real rain. The soil, 

 except where bare, chiefly covered with T'dlandsias and Lichens. 



135. The Atacaman Desert-Region. A continuation of the pre- 

 ceding region, but described as more arid ; perhaps, more like a real 

 Desert than any other part of America. Plants, however, are said to 

 spring up, when after a long interval of "twenty to twenty-five years, 

 there is a deposition of moisture." 



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