88 NATURAL HISTORY ESSAYS 



Holmsted in 1876 is now in the Royal College of 

 Surgeons' Museum. 



With the enumeration of the foregoing census one 

 might well close this account of the Falkland wolf; 

 but since it is extremely singular that so large an 

 animal as the present species should inhabit so 

 restricted an area, it would be interesting to inquire 

 whether it was introduced into the islands by man 

 or other agency; and, if so, whence it originally 

 came. The legend that the wolves were brought 

 over by the Spaniards cannot be proved or dis- 

 proved at this time of day ; it is possible, however, 

 that the Canis antaixtiacs, like so many island 

 species, gained its secluded home transported on 

 driftwood. Strong ocean currents, setting towards 

 the Falklands, continually pile the dreary coast with 

 lumber; the very seaweed, torn up by storms, floats 

 in huge detached masses which, encumbering the 

 shore, constitute a very real danger to mariners 

 endeavourinof to land. Darwin has stated that there 

 are few places between Cape Orford and Choiseul 

 Bay where a good supply of firewood cannot be 

 obtained ; timber thus transported from Tierra del 

 Fuego to the Falklands might easily float over any 

 small beast, just as tigers in India have been 

 helplessly borne along on uprooted trees during a 

 deluge. Tennyson makes Lynette say to Gareth : — 



Lion and stoat have isled together, fool, 

 In time of flood; 



