THE CHIEF COLEOPTEROUS EAUN.E. 



25 



80 far as the fauna goes, therefore, I have little doubt that the 

 majority of zoologists will agree with me in referring it to the 

 Atlantic subfauna of the microtypal stirps. But when we come 

 to the flora, we have new light thrown upon the subject. It is 

 said to be rapidly losing its original features ; when Burchell 

 visited the island, it was still nearly in its natural condition, and 

 out of 169 plants collected by him, 40 were endemic and very 

 peculiar, and of the remainder, a considerable proportion seem to 

 have been of European type. Dr. Hooker, in his lecture on 

 Oceanic Eloras, says of this, " Dr. Burch ell's collection includes 

 169 flowering plants, but most unhappily he has not indicated 

 which are bond fide natives and which have followed the track of 

 man and animals introduced by him, and which have become 

 quasi-indigenous or naturalized. Some years after Dr. Burchell's 

 visit, however, an eminent Indian botanist, Dr. Roxburgh, visited 

 St. Helena, and drew up a catalogue of the indigenous, naturalized, 

 and. cultivated plants then existing, carefully indicating the truly 

 indigenous ones that were then surviving." This flora of Dr. 

 Roxburgh's, however, is imperfect, some of Dr. Burchell's species 

 (now in the Herbarium at Kew) not being included in it, pro- 

 bably having become extinct in the interval between his and Bur- 

 chell's visit ; and a strong desire is felt by those interested in 

 the subject that a fresh flora of St. Helena should be published 

 by some competent botanist. Dr. Hooker's talents, position, 

 and. acquaintance with the subject point him out as the most 

 fitting person to do so : and I trust the general wish that he may 

 undertake it will lead to its own fulfilment. 



As our knowledge of the flora stands, however, I believe the 

 actual facts which have been ascertained regarding it are that it 

 contains, 1st, a considerable number of plants known to have 

 been introduced from various countries, but chiefly from Europe ; 

 2nd, a considerable number of European species or genera which 

 are not known to have been introduced, but which are taken for 

 granted to have been so on account of their European habitat ; 

 3rd, a small proportion (but still too large a proportion to be ac- 

 counted for by chance dispersal), the affinities of which are clearly 

 with the Cape flora. Dr. Hooker's conclusion to this effect is 

 thus stated in his lecture above referred to : — " Erom such frag- 

 mentary data it is difficult to form any exact conclusions as to the 

 affinities of this flora ; but I think it may be safely regarded as an 

 African one, and characteristic of Southern extra-tropical Africa. 



