104 THE COMING [CH. 



American Continent, he found the same curious 

 correspondence between existing and late fossil forms 

 of life again and again illustrated. 



But towards the end of the voyage, an even 

 stronger element of doubt as to the immutability of 

 species was awakened in his mind. When he came 

 to study the forms of life existing in the Galapagos 

 Islands, off the west coast of South America, he was 

 startled by the discovery of the following facts. 

 Each small island had its own ' fauna ' or assemblage 

 of animals this being very strikingly shown in the 

 case of the reptiles and birds. And yet, though the 

 species were different, there was obviously a very 

 wonderful 'family likeness* to one another between 

 the forms in the several islands and between them all 

 and the animals living in the adjoining portion of the 

 continent. Surely this could not be accidental, but 

 must indicate relationships due to descent from 

 common ancestors ! 



Charles Darwin returned to England in 1836, and 

 at once made the acquaintance of Lyell. He says in 

 one place, ' I saw a great deal of Lyell ' and in another 

 that 'I saw more of Lyell than of any other man, 

 both before and after my marriage/ In one of his 

 letters he writes, 'You cannot conceive anything 

 more thoroughly good natured than the heart-and- 

 soul manner in which he put himself in my place and 

 thought what would be best to do 105 / For two 



