\ 



290 GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO. [CHAP. Jcvl. 



two points where the collections were made are thirty-two miles 

 apart. I must repeat, that neither the nature of the soil, nor height of 

 the land, nor the climate, nor -the general character of the associated 

 beings, and therefore their action one on another, can differ much in 

 the different islands. If there be any sensible difference in their 

 climates, it must be between the windward group (namely Charles and 

 Chatham Islands), and that to leeward; but there seems to be no 

 corresponding difference in the productions of these two halves of the 

 archipelago. 



The only light which I can throw on this remarkable difference in the 

 inhabitants of the different islands, is, that very strong currents of the 

 sea running in a westerly and W.N.W. direction must separate, as far 

 as transportal by the sea is concerned, the southern islands from the 

 northern ones ; and between these northern islands a strong N.W. 

 current was observed, which must effectually separate James and 

 Albemarle Islands. As the archipelago is free to a most remarkable 

 degree from gales of wind, neither the birds, insects, nor lighter seeds, 

 would be blown from island to island. And lastly, the profound depth 

 of the ocean between the islands, and their apparently recent (in a 

 geological sense) volcanic origin, render it highly unlikely that they 

 were ever united : and this, probably, is a far more important considera- 

 tion than any other, with respect to the geographical distribution of 

 their inhabitants. Reviewing the facts here given, one is astonished 

 at the amount of creative force, if such an expression may be used, 

 displayed on these small, barren, and rocky islands ; and still more so 

 at its diverse yet analogous action on points so near each other. I have 

 said that the Galapagos Archipelago might be called a satellite attached 

 to America, but it should rather be called a group of satellites, physically 

 similar, organically distinct, yet intimately related to each other, and all 

 related in a marked, though much lesser degree, to the great American 

 continent 



I will conclude my description of the natural history of these islands, 

 by giving an account of the extreme tameness of the birds. 



This disposition is common to all the terrestrial species ; namely, to 

 the mocking-thrushes, the finches, wrens, tyrant-fly-catchers, the dove, 

 and carrion-buzzard. All of them often approached sufficiently near to 

 be killed with a switch, and sometimes, as I myself tried, with a cap or 

 hat. A gun is here almost superfluous ; for with the muzzle I pushed 

 a hawk off the branch of a tree. One day, whilst lying down, a mocking- 

 thrush alighted on the edge of a pitcher, made of the shell of a tortoise, 

 which I held in my hand, and began very quietly to sip the water ; it 

 allowed me to lift it from the ground whilst seated on the vessel : I often 

 tried, and very nearly succeeded, in catching these birds by their legs. 

 Formerly the birds appear to have been even tamer than at present. 

 Covvley (in the year 1684) says that the "Turtle-doves were so tame, 

 that they would often alight upon our hats and arms, so as that we 

 could take them alive : they not fearing man, until such time as some 

 f our company did fire at them, whereby they were rendered more 



