382 GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO. [CHAP. xvn. 



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 archi- 

 pelago 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. Eeviewing 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-flycatchers, 

 the dove, and carrion-buzzard. All of them are 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 



