e times, was not the communication more likely to be in
lower latitudes than over the pole?

If, however, you say--as you may have very good reasons for saying--that
the existing species got their present diffusion before the Glacial
epoch, I should have no answer. I suppose you must needs assume very
great antiquity for species of plants in order to account for their
present dispersion, so long as we cling--as one cannot but do--to the
idea of the single birthplace of species.

I am curious to see whether, as you suggest, there would be found a
harmony or close similarity between the geographical range in
this country of the species common to Europe and those strictly
representative or strictly congeneric with European species. If I get
a little time I will look up the facts: though, as Dr. Hooker rightly
tells me, I have no business to be running after side game of any sort,
while there is so much I have to do--much more than I shall ever do
probably--to finish undertakings I have long ago begun.

...As to your P.S. If you have time to send me a longer list of your
protean genera, I will say if they seem to be protean here. Of those you
mention:--

Salix, I really know nothing about.

Rubus, the N. American species, with one exception, are very clearly
marked indeed.

Mentha, we have only one wild species; that has two pretty well-marked
forms, which have been taken for species; one smooth, the other hairy.

Saxifraga, gives no trouble here.

Myosotis, only one or two species here, and those very well marked.

Hieracium, few species, but pretty well marked.

Rosa, putting down a set of nominal species, leaves us four; two of them
polymorphous, but easy to distinguish...

LETTER 339. TO J.D. HOOKER. Down, [1857?]

One must judge by one's own light, however imperfect, and as I have
found no other book (339/1. A. De Candolle's "Geographie Botanique,"
1855.) so useful to me, I am bound to feel grateful: no doubt it is
in main part owing to the concentrated light of the noble art of
compilation. (339/2. See Letter 49.) I was aware that he was not the
first who had insisted on range of Monocots. (Was not R. Brown [with]
Flinders?) (339/3. M. Flinders' "Voyage to Terra Australis in 1801-3,
in H.M.S. 'Investigator'"; with "Botanical Appendix," by Robert Brown,
London, 1814.), and I fancy I only used expression "strongly insisted
on,"--but it is quite unimportant.

If you and I had time to waste, I should lik