9182 Birds. 
Atlantis which ever had a real existence) have been entirely neglected 
from this point of view. I cannot persuade myself that an examina- 
tion of their Ornithology would be void of result; and I would here 
beg to offer one remark on the peculiar distribution of the species of 
the genus Fringilla, as now restricted by most ornithologists. It con- 
tains six very well-marked forms ; and the following list exhibits their 
breeding range, as well as | can ascertain :— 
1. F. montifringilla; Northern Europe and Asia. 
. F. celebs; Europe and Asia, from lat. 68° N. 
. F. spodiogena; Algeria. 
. F. Moreleti; Azores. 
. F. Tintillon ;* Madeiras, Canaries, Cape de Verde Islands? 
. F. teydea; Canaries. 
a ak © PY 
Thus showing that one half of the known species are confined to the 
Atlantic Islands—a fact suggestive enough to those who are acquainted 
with the deductions inferred from similar cases by Professor Edward 
Forbes, Mr..Wollaston, and, chief of all, Mr. Darwin. . 
In connexion also with this topic, Ll would remind my readers of 
Mr. Wollaston’s admirable remarks on the effects of isolation and 
exposure to a stormy almosphere upon the insect world.t I fully 
believe that similar effects are to be traced among birds; and, if I am 
not mistaken, the first and most apparent effect of the latter cause is 
an obscuring or darkening of the plumage. We have examples of it 
in our own country. Few of our native birds attain the brilliant hues 
observable in their continental brethren. When do we ever see an- 
English yellow bunting or a bullfinch as brightly coloured as a French, 
or, still more, a German one? ‘The dark back of our pied wagtail has 
led it to be described as a species distinct from the continental Mota- 
cilla alba. Our longtailed titmouse is equally deserving of a like 
recoguition. I will say nothing here of the guestio vevata of the 
difference between Lagopus scoticus and L. albus; for in that case 
probably other causes have come into play. If we go to the other 
extremity of the Palearctic region, we find the same thing occurring. 
Orites trivirgata differs from the continental O. caudata, just as our own 
longtailed titmouse does. Accentor rubidus bears the same relation to 
the continental specimens of A. modularis as our own hedgesparrow. 
* One of my fellow-passengers informed me that some difference was observable 
between the specimens of this bird killed in the northern and southern parts of 
Madeira. I hope to obtain confirmation of this. 
+ ‘Variation of Species,’ p. 70 et seq. 
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