114 THREE CRUISES OF THE " BLAKE." 



As is well known, Cuba, the Bahamas, Hayti, and Porto Rico, 

 instead of having, as we might naturally assume from their prox- 

 imity to Florida, a decided affinity in their fauna and flora with 

 that of the southern United States, show, on the contrary, unmis- 

 takable association with that of Mexico, Honduras, and Central 

 America ; the Caribbean Islands indicate in part the same rela- 

 tionship, though the affinity to the Venezuelan and Brazilian 

 fauna and flora is 'much more marked. The most characteristic 

 feature of the West Indian fauna is the immense development 

 of the land mollusks ; the birds are South American ; and ter- 

 restrial mammals are ahnost wanting, with the exception of 

 three genera peculiar to the larger islands. 



One of the most remarkable of the mammalian types of the 

 greater West India Islands is the insectivore Solenodon,' be- 

 longing to a family of which representatives are known only 

 from Madagascar. The rodents are all members of groups 

 characteristic of South America. The agouti, which once ex- 

 tended to the large islands, is now said to be found mainly in 

 the Windward Islands." The islands of Trinidad, Tobago, and 

 the Leeward Islands, are all on the great continental plateau 

 of South America, detached parts of the mainland itself, and 

 have its characteristic fauna and flora. 



In view of the short distances between the West India Islands 

 it is not astonishing that the birds should partake somewhat of 

 the character of North, Central, and South America. There 

 are a number of North American birds which spend the winter 

 on these islands, or migrate farther south. The fact that the 

 majority of them only visit Cuba and Jamaica may be explained 

 by the direction of the tradewinds, which would prevent them 

 from reaching Hayti, Porto Rico, or the more eastern Wind- 

 ward Islands. Many of the birds formerly found in some of 

 the smaller islands have become exterminated by the increase of 

 population and the clearing of the forests. It is most probable 

 that in these islands, so favored in their climate and their flora, 



1 But as the insectivores are now dying - In the caves of Anguilla are found 



out, we may consider this genus a rem- fossil mammals belonging to South Amer- 



nant of a group formerly having a much icau types, 

 wider distribution. 



