18 ME. A. MUERAT ON THE GEOaEAPniOAL BELATTONS OF 



panion of man, it is not found naturalized in any other islands, 

 notwithstanding that hundreds exist equally well adapted to it 

 and equally inhabited by canary -loving settlers ; a sufiBcient reply 

 to which may be that there is no island exactly similarly situated 

 in regard to man's arrangements, and that other birds of a similar 

 nature have actually been naturalized there, the Java Sparrow and 

 Indian Haverdavats being known to have been introduced, and 

 the fact and date of their introduction being on record. They have 

 thriven as well as the Canary, all three being as common as Spar- 

 rows. All, however, that I wish to do is to enter a caveat against 

 taking the introduction of every microtypal species for granted. 

 My own belief is that there are no aboriginal birds in St. Helena : 

 perhaps its isolation was perfected before birds appeared in the 

 lands with which it had previously been connected. Besides 

 the above, the Common Fowl, the Guinea-fowl, the Pheasant, the 

 Jied-legged Partridge, the Peacock, and the Pigeon have all been 

 intentionally introduced by man. 



Governor Beatson gives the names of a very fev/ of the sea- 

 birds found on or about the island ; but their range is so wide 

 that they can scarcely be cited as bearing on this inquiry. 



The Turtle is the only reptile mentioned as found at St. He- 

 lena, but no freshwater reptiles or fishes are known ; at the same 

 time it must not be assumed that none can exist. Although there 

 are no sti*eams, there is water, and there are terrestrial and 

 marsh-shells (Succineas) ; and if the advocates of chance dispersal 

 are correct in their reasoning, small fishes from distant lands might 

 now and then be introduced by sea-birds. It is against their theory 

 that they have not. 



Grovernor Beatson (loc. cit.) also gives a list of seventy marine 

 fishes taken at St. Helena ; but as they are all designated by their 

 local names, it is of no scientific value. Passing it, we have a 

 thoroughly scientific and dependable, although smaller, list in two 

 parts by Dr. Giinther, in the ' Proc. Zool. Soc' 1868, p. 225, and 

 18G9, p. 238, made from a collection sent by Mr. J. C. Melliss, a 

 resident in St. Helena, to whom naturalists owe more than to 

 any previous observer for inlbrmation as to its zoology. It will 

 presently be seen that, besides the fishes, his collection of spiders 

 and beetles supply the most important part of our material in 

 these classes of animals. A copy of Dr. Giinther's list will be 

 found in the Appendix. It is not to be expected that the marine 

 fauna can be applied in the same way as the terrestrial fauna to 



