448 Evolution and Distribution of Fishes 



widely eastward, but also southward to Chile, Magellan, 

 New Zealand and Australia, where 7 species are found, 

 also northward to the Philippines. Other like suggestive 

 distributions could be cited. 



The observations on the Annelida, Crustacea, Arach- 

 nida, and Fishes that are given in "Fauna Chilensis" 

 {226) also emphasize like common bonds as do the plants 

 and their inhabited territory. 



The varied literature that the Galapagos Isles have 

 called forth, from the time of Darwin's visit onward, shows 

 that two diverse views have been held which might ex- 

 plain their origin, also origin of their flora and fauna. 

 Some still hold that they are oceanic in formation, and 

 have received their organisms by fortuitous arrivals. But 

 most now accept that they are old continental, a view that 

 has been strongly advocated and fortified by G. Baur 

 (272:661, 777, 864). 



A study however of the affinities shown by the plants of 

 these islands may greatly aid us in reaching true conclusions. 

 It should be remembered that the islands are opposite to, 

 belong to, and are about 580 miles west of, Ecuador. They 

 are therefore equatorial in position, though southern sea 

 breezes temper the otherwise tropical climate. The main 

 oceanic currents also are of cool Antarctic origin. This 

 fact deserves to be kept in view in any attempted expla- 

 nation of plant origins and introductions. 



A careful and critical study of the Flora has been made 

 by nearly a dozen botanists, whose results have been ex- 

 tended and summarized by Robinson (27^:77). Neglect- 

 ing the lower or spore-bearing plants that are often dis- 

 seminated by wind currents, it may be said that the seed- 

 plants number about 445. Of these, close on 200 are re- 

 garded as endemic, and they are discussed below. Of the 

 remaining 245, their relation to the flora of the Tropics 

 and of the mainland is striking. Thus 83 of the species are 

 world-wide in the tropics, or have evidently been introduced 

 as weeds or as cultivated plants by man. Subtracting these 

 from the above number, there remain 162 to be accounted 

 for. Of these, 157 are found on the South American con- 

 tinent, and 126 of them occur also in Mexico. But that 



