200 TEST ACE A ATLANTIC A. 



III. SALVAGES. 



Considering that only a single species of the Terrestrial Mollusca, 

 and seven of the marine ones which are supposed to exist as 

 well in brackish water (where such is to be found) as in the 

 actual sea have hitherto been brought to light on these remote 

 and almost unapproachable rocks, it would appear at first 

 sight absurd to devote a separate Section to their consideration ; 

 yet since geographically the Salvages cannot be included within 

 either the Madeiran or the Canarian archipelagos, and it is 

 quite possible that other members of the Pulmonata may 

 eventually be found to occur on one or the other of the two 

 outlying islands which constitute this little oceanic assemblage 

 (for the minute third one is absolutely inaccessible, and there- 

 fore practically need not be taken into account), we may per- 

 haps be pardoned if we venture to recognize them as a small 

 but independent Group, — intermediate both in situation and 

 productions between those which lie immediately to the north 

 and south of them. 1 



It is to Mr. T. S. Leacock, of Funchal, that we are in- 

 debted for almost our first knowledge of the Natural Histoiy 

 of these distant rocks, — a landing on both of them having been 

 effected by him during the spring of 1851 ; and since that 

 date small consignments of shells, insects, and plants have 

 been obtained, from. time to time, by the Baron Paiva, — chiefly 

 through the medium of the Portuguese fishing-boats which are 

 now and then freighted from Madeira for the purpose of ga- 

 thering orchil and barilla, with which most of the Atlantic 

 islands more or less abound. The late Mr. MacAndrew in 

 1852, visited the Salvages in his yacht ; but as his purpose was 

 mainly to dredge for the marine species, he added nothing to 



1 Although it does not come within my province in this volume to enter 

 into anything beyond the Gastropodous statistics, I may nevertheless just 

 add that the other members of the fauna, no less than the flora (as hitherto 

 ascertained), bear testimony to the strictly intermediate character of the 

 Salvages with respect to the Madeiras and. Canaries, though at the same 

 time implying most unmistakably that they partake far more of the pecu- 

 liarities of the latter than of those of the former. 



