424 GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO chap. 



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 consideration than any 

 other, with respect to the geographical distribution of their 

 inhabitants. Reviewing 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 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 a pitcher, made of 

 the shell of a tortoise, which I held in my hand, and began 

 very quietly to sip the water ; it allowed me to lift it from 

 the ground whilst seated on the vessel : I often tried, and 

 very nearly succeeded in catching these birds by their legs. 

 Formerly the birds appear to have been even tamer than at 

 present. Cowley (in the year 1684) says that the "Turtle- 

 doves were so tame, that they would often alight upon our 

 hats and arms, so as that we could take them alive : they not 

 fearing man, until such time as some of our company did fire 

 at them, whereby they were rendered more shy." Dampier 

 also, in the same year, says that a man in a morning's walk 

 might kill six or seven dozen of these doves. At present, 

 although certainly very tame, they do not alight on people's 

 arms, nor do they suffer themselves to be killed in such large 



