410 INHABITANTS OF OCEANIC ISLANDS. 



migrated from some one area, but that allied species, 

 although now inhabiting the most distant points, have pro- 

 ceeded from a single area, the birthplace of their early pro- 

 genitors. I have already given my reasons for disbeliev- 

 ing in continental extensions within the period of existing 

 species on so enormous a scale that all the many islands 

 of the several oceans were thus stocked with their j^resent 

 terrestrial inhabitants. This view removes many difficul- 

 ties, but it does not accord with all the facts in regard to 

 the productions of islands. In the following remarks I 

 shall not confine myself to the mere question of dispersal, 

 bat shall consider some other cases bearing on the truth of 

 the two theories of independent creation and of descent 

 with modification. 



The species of all kinds which inhabit oceanic islands 

 are few in number compared with those on equal continen- 

 tal areas: Alph. de Candolle admits this for plants, and 

 WoUaston for insects, ^""ew Zealand, for instance, with 

 its lofty mountains and diversified stations, extending over 

 780 miles of latitude, together with the outlying islands of 

 Auckland, Campbell and Chatham, contain altogether 

 only 960 kinds of flowering plants; if we compare this moder- 

 ate number with the species which swarm over equal areas 

 in Southwestern Australia or at the Cape of Good Hope, 

 we must admit that some cause, independently of different 

 physical conditions, has given rise to so great a difference 

 in number. Even the uniform county of Cambridge has 

 847 plants, and the little island of Anglesea 764, but a 

 few ferns and a few introduced plants are included in 

 these numbers, and the comparison in some other respects 

 is not quite fair. AYe have evidence that the barren island 

 of Ascension aboriginally possessed less than half a dozen 

 flowering plants; yet many species have now become 

 naturalized on it, as they have in New Zealand and on 

 every other oceanic island which can be named. In St. 

 Helena there is reason to believe that the naturalized plants 

 and animals have nearly or quite exterminated many native 

 productions. He who admits the doctrine of the creation 

 of each separate species, will have to admit that a sufficient 

 number of the best adapted plants and animals were not 

 created for oceanic islands; for man has unintentionally 

 stocked them far more fully and perfectly than did nature. 



