2 o INDEX FAUNAE NOV^E ZEALAND!^. 



once seen on Macquarie Island ; * and formerly it was inhabited 

 by rails and parrakeets. The Wood-hen (Ocydromus) now found 

 on it was introduced by the Maoris for food. 



The Chatham and Auckland Islands have fresh-water species 

 of Ga/axtas, which do not appear to go down to the sea, and are 

 similar to those of New Zealand. Pitt Island, one of the Chatham 

 group, has a lizard closely related to Lygosoma moko of New 

 Zealand. Both the Chatham and Auckland Islands have small 

 forest birds, as well as slugs and beetles, none of which could 

 cross over a sea barrier. We may therefore suppose that they 

 were once connected with New Zealand, and derived the main 

 part of their faunas overland. 



Much the same may be said for the Snares ; but the case of 

 Campbell Island is different. Here we have a Galaxias and a 

 small land shell, but no resident land birds nor beetles. Three 

 Godwit were shot in 1894 by Mr. Borchgrevink's exploring party; 

 and the little Zosterops has made its way there, but there are no 

 parrakeets nor larks. If, however, the presence of earth-worms is 

 a proof of a former land connection with some larger mass, then at 

 one time New Zealand must have extended through Campbell 

 Island to Macquarie Island. 



The number of endemic species, and even genera, among the 

 land animals of these islands proves ihat they have been long sepa- 

 rated, and altogether precludes the idea of a comparatively recent 

 Antarctic continent connected with New Zealand. They also 

 preclude the idea of a very cold climate having existed in the 

 southern hemisphere since the islands were separated from New 

 Zealand, that is since the Pliocene period. For this would have 

 killed off most of the inhabitants. 



* Campbell's Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds, p. 580. 



