374 FAUNA OF THE GALAPAGOS, [chap. xvri. 



that great fact — that mystery of mysteries— the first appear- 

 ancp of new beings on this earth. 



Of terrestrial mammals, there is only one which must be 

 considered as indigenous, namely, a mouse {Mus Gala- 

 pagoensis), and this is confined, as far as I could ascertain, 

 to Chatham Island, the most easterly island of the group. 

 It belongs, as I am informed by Mr. Waterhouse, to a 

 division of the family of mice characteristic of America. 

 At James Island, there is a rat sufficiently distinct from the 

 common kind to have been named and described by Mr. 

 Waterhouse ; but as it belongs to the old-world division of 

 the family, and as this island has been frequented by ships 

 for the last hundred and fifty years, I can hardly doubt that 

 this rat is merely a variety, produced by the new and 

 peculiar climate, food, and soil, to which it has been 

 subjected. Although no one has a right to speculate with- 

 out distinct facts, yet even with respect to the Chatham 

 Island mouse, it should be borne in mind, that it may 

 possibly be an American species imported here ; for I have 

 seen, in a most unfrequented part of the Pampas, a native 

 mouse living in the roof of a newly-built hovel, and therefore 

 its transportation in a vessel is not improbable : analogous 

 facts have been observed by Dr. Richardson in North 

 America. 



Of land-birds I obtained twenty-six kinds, all peculiar to 

 the group, and found nowhere else, with the exception of 

 one lark-like finch from North America {Dolichonyx oryzi- 

 vorus), which ranges on that continent as far north as 54°, 

 and generally frequents marshes. The other twenty-five 

 birds consist, firstly, of a hawk, curiously intermediate in 

 structure between a Buzzard and the American group of 

 carrion-feeding Polyhori : and with these latter birds it 

 agrees most closely in every habit and even tone of voice. 

 Secondly, there are two owls, representing the short-eared 

 and white barn-owls of Europe. Thirdly, a wren, three 

 tyrant fly-catchers (two of them species of Pyrocephalus, 

 one or both of which would be ranked by some ornithologists 

 as only varieties), and a dove — all analogous to, but distinct 

 from, American species. Fourthly, a swallow, which 

 though differing from the Pivgne purpurea of both Americas, 

 only in being rather duller coloured, smaller, and slenderer, 

 is considered by Mr. Gould as specifically distinct. Fifthly, 

 there are three species of mocking-thrush — a form highly 

 characteristic of America. The remaining land-birds form 



