"The origin of plant life upon the Bermudas, is a question not very difficult of solution, after a careful consideration of facts accruing from the continued observations of several years. The islands are greatly influenced by the current of the Gulf Stream, which brings to their shores numberless objects, animate and inanimate, from the Caribbean Sea. Among such we may instances the seeds of trees, shrubs and plants, which are continually being cast ashore; while the occurrence of several forms, even forest trees, just above high water mark, go far to prove their drift origin. The hard seeds of the Leguminosæ seem especially adapted to withstand immersion in salt water for a length of time, and the fact of this order being better represented than any other favours the presumption. But although several leguminous seeds germinate on the Bermudas, there are some commonly cast ashore which do not; such are the seeds of Entada scandens, and Mucuna urens, which have never yet grown on the islands, notwithstanding their seeds are frequently landed near the trailing stems of Canavalia obtusifolia. Probably the sandy soil of the beach is unsuited to these species, which appear to grow on river banks in the West Indian Islands."