1835.] DISTRIBUTION OF THE ORGANIC BEINGS. 395 
belonged to one species (Mimus trifasciatus) ; all from Albemarle 
Island to M. parvulus; and all from James and Chatham Islands 
(between which two other islands are situated, as connecting 
links) belonged to M. melanotis. These two latter species are 
closely allied, and would by some ornithologists be considered as 
only well-marked races or varieties; but the Mimus trifasciatus 
is very distinct. Unfortunately most of the specimens of the 
finch tribe were mingled together; but I have strong reasons to 
suspect that some of the species of the sub-group Geospiza are 
confined to separate islands. If the different islands have their 
representatives of Geospiza, it may help to explain the singularly 
large number of the species of this sub-group in this one small 
archipelago, and as a probable consequence of their numbers, 
the perfectly graduated series in the size of their beaks. Two 
species of the sub-group Cactornis, and two of Camarhynchus, 
were procured in the archipelago; and of the numerous speci- 
mens of these two sub-groups shot by four collectors at James 
Island, all were found to belong to one species of each ; whereas 
the numerous specimens shot either on Chatham or Charles 
Island (for the two sets were mingled together) all belonged to 
the two other species: hence we may feel almost sure that these 
islands possess their representative species of these two sub-groups. 
In lJand-shells this law of distribution does not appear to hold 
good. In my very small collection of insects, Mr. Waterhouse 
remarks, that of those which were ticketed with their locality, 
not one was common to any two of the islands. : 
If we now turn to the Flora, we shall find the aboriginal 
plants of the different islands wonderfully different. I give all 
the following results on the high authority of my friend Dr. 
J. Hooker. Imay premise that I indiscriminately collected 
everything in flower on the different islands, and fortunately 
kept my collections separate. Too much confidence, however, 
must not be placed in the proportional results, as the small col- 
lections brought home by some other naturalists, though in some 
respects confirming the results, plainly show that much remains 
to be done in the botany of this group: the Leguminose, more- 
over, have as yet been only approximately worked out :— 
