68 SURVIVALS. 



free to develop in size and numbers, isolated from any enemy. 

 The nearest allied gigantic tortoises, those of the Galapagos, 

 are no doubt survivals in the same manner, on the opposite 

 side of the southern hemisphere, of a group which probably, 

 from the evidence of fossil remains, once had a wide range 

 over the whole globe. The existence in widely-separated 

 countries of species nearly allied to Madagascar animals, such 

 as the solenodon amongst the Centetidaj in the West India 

 Islands, species of the urania amongst the Lepidoptera found 

 also in the West Indies and in Madagascar, and the South 

 American, and even Pacific, relations of some of the birds, 

 may be explained, not on the hypothesis of any former closer 

 connection between these now far-separated lands, but by 

 supposing that each are survivals of once widely-extended 

 groups, which have become exterminated through various 

 causes in the intermediate regions. 



It will be seen from the particulars already given that 

 Madagascar is a country which presents a most interesting 

 field for a naturalist. I only wish that 'some one with com- 

 petent scientific knowledge, as well as literary and artistic 

 ability, would describe its fauna and flora in such a delightful 

 way as Mr. Bates has done that of the Amazons, Mr. Wallace 

 that of the Malay Archipelago, and Mr. Belt that of Nicar- 

 agua. The materials for such a work are abundant ; and 

 volumes quite as interesting as those just named might 

 easily be written upon the natural history and botany of the 

 great African island. 



