394 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
as the place where they- were found is situated at the sea-shore, 
quite close to the southern extremity of Japan, it is singular 
that the tropical or sub-tropical elements of the flora of Japan 
are here wanting. From this Dr. Nathorst draws the con¬ 
clusion that these are not, as has been hitherto supposed, the 
remains of a flora originating in Japan, but that they have since 
migrated thither from a former continent situated further to the 
south, which has since disappeared. Dr. Nathorsfls examination 
is not yet completed, but even if this were the case, want of 
space would not -permit me to treat of this point at greater 
length. I cannot, however, omit to 
mention that it was highly agreeable 
to be able to connect with the memory 
of the Vega expedition at least 
a small contribution from more 
southerly lands to vegetable palaeon¬ 
tology, a branch of knowledge to 
which our preceding Arctic expe¬ 
ditions yielded new additions of 
such importance through the fossil 
herbaria from luxuriant ancient 
forests which they brought to light 
from the ice-covered cliffs of Spitz- 
bergen and from the basalt-covered 
sandstones and schists of the Nour- 
Leaf of Zelkova KeaJcii, Sieb., var. i • /n 
pliocena, Naih. soak Femnsula in Greenland, now 
so bleak. 
After our return from Mogi I made an excursion to the coal¬ 
mine at Takasami, 'situated on an island some kilometres from 
the town. Even here I succeeded in bringing together some 
further contributions to the former flora of the region. 
After the inhabitants of Nagasaki, too, had given us a grand 
parting feast, at which speeches were spoken in Japanese, 
Chinese, English, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian, 
FOSSIL PLANT FROM MOGI. 
