191 
the destruction of tho indigenous plants ; still, however, as late as 
1709 the peculiar native ebony was so abundant as to be used to burn 
lime with. In tho year 1810 the Goats had entirely destroyed the 
groat forests ; it was then determined to destroy the Goats, as it 
Avas hoped the island would regain its wood. The Government, 
however, instead of assisting Mature to recover her lost ground, 
planted trees and shrubs from other countries, which have so 
grown and spread, that tho indigenous flora is almost confined to a 
few patches on tho central ridge of the island, at a height of 2700 
feet. “What wo have lost,” adds INIr. Mivart, “maybe judged 
fioni the fact, that of tho forty-five kinds of flowering plants and 
forty-three species of Ferns which yet survive, no less than forty of 
the former and thirteen of the latter are absolutely peculiar to the 
island.” There can be little doubt, says .Air. Darwin, that this 
great change in the vegetation affected not only tho land-shells, 
causing eight species peculiar to the island to become extinct, but 
likewise a multitude of insects. It is probable that the birds 
suffered also by tho change. It will be noticed that the destruction 
commenced by tho introduction of the Goats was completed by the 
in)udicious planting of trees and shrubs Avhich were foreign to the 
island; and it will be found that plants, like animals, when 
introduced into regions from tho indigenous productions of Avhich 
they differ greatly, increase so i-apidly as speedily to crowd out 
their more feeble opponents Avhoso space they appropriate. The 
re-establishment of the indigenous flora thus became impossible ; 
and, oAving to tho destruction of the forests Avhich formerly covered 
them, the slopes of the island were so rapidly denuded of their rich 
volcanic soil, that notwithstanding the introduced species rapidly 
established themselves, the aspect of the island is changed from 
that of a luxuriant forest to a barren and forbidding AA'aste. 
In Ncav Zealand, in 1832, Air. DarAvin speaks of “several sorts of 
Aveeds, Avhich, like the Eats,” he was forced to oAvn as his oAvn 
countrymen. A Leek imported by Frenchmen had overrun whole 
districts and would prove very troublesome, and the common Dock, 
also Avidely disseminated, he feared AA'ould “ for ever remain a proof 
of the rascality of an Englishman, avIio sold the seeds for those of 
the Tobacco plant” (‘Journal of Eesearches,’ Ac., 2nd ed. p. 428). 
At tho present time Avhole tracts of country are OA^errun b)' the 
introduced .species. English Grasses are spreading Avith astonishing 
