3 
with reference to the Dying Out of Species . 
five pages) of the Ceylon endemics is 4*5, of the Ceylon-Peninsular-Indian 
species 3-8, and of the widely distributed species 2-8, in figures running 
• from 1 to 6. 
The first dozen pages were amply sufficient to show that a general 
law was making its appearance, and I went on eagerly to the end, when the 
grand total showed the figures already published, and which may be 
quoted again, with the addition of the percentages calculated crosswise. 
Table II. 
Ceylon. Ceylon- Peninsular- India. Wider. 
VC 19 spp. 
6-66% 
45 
15 - 79 % 
221 
77-54 % 
C 90 
13*43 
118 
17-60 
462 
68-95 
RC 139 
25-04 
103 
i8 ‘55 
313 
56-39 
RR 136 
31-70 
84 
19-58 
209 
48-71 
R 192 
46-26 
64 
I 5 ’ 4 2 
159 
3 8 * 3 r 
VR 233 
51-20 
78 
17-20 
I44 
31*65 
809 
492 
1508 
Rarity 
4*3 
3'5 
3 *o 
In other words, the widely distributed species are by far the 
commonest, and much commoner than the mean of the whole flora, which 
is obviously 3*5, the mean between 1 and 6. The species found also in 
Peninsular India, i. e. roughly as far as a line drawn from Bombay to 
Calcutta, are next most common, with the mean rarity of the whole flora, 
and the Ceylon endemic forms are very much rarer than this (4-3). This 
is a very important result, and it will be well therefore to point out how 
the figures have been arrived at in Trimen’s Flora, and that they are quite 
unassailable. 
A great number of species in Ceylon are found only in one small 
locality, not exceeding a few miles in diameter. These Trimen classifies 
as Very Rare. A number of localities of such endemic species are shown 
in the first of the maps given with this paper. So far as my personal 
experience of such species goes, they are not only confined to a very 
small locality, but are most often rare within that actual locality. The 
next stage is Rare, and examination of Trimen’s localities (which are all 
supported by specimens in the herbaria of Peradeniya and Kew) shows 
that such species occur in roundish areas of from 10-15 to 3° m ^ es 
or so in diameter, averaging perhaps 24. It is almost needless to 
remark that cases occur in which it is a matter of individual choice 
whether a species shall be looked upon as VR or R. Fortunately for 
this work, therefore, all the decisions (except for; Gramineae) were made 
by Trimen himself. The next higher stage is Rather Rare, which implies 
a roundish area of about 50 miles in diameter. Not only is the area 
larger, but the plants in general seem to be commoner in it, and the same 
may be said with regard to Rather Common, where the area occupied 
B 2 
