Chap. XIII.] ISLANDS TO THOSE OF THE MAINLAND. 189 



On the other hand, there is a considerable degree of 

 resemblance in £he volcanic nature of the soil, in the 

 climate, height, and size of the islands, between the 

 Galapagos and Cape Yerde Archipelagoes : but what an 

 entire and absolute difference in their inhabitants ! 

 The inhabitants of the Cape Yerde Islands are related 

 to those of Africa, like those of the Galapagos to 

 America. Facts such as these, admit of no sort of 

 explanation on the ordinary view of independent 

 creation; whereas on the view here maintained, it is 

 obvious that the Galapagos Islands would be likely to 

 receive colonists from America, whether by occasional 

 means of transport or (though I do not believe in this 

 doctrine) by formerly continuous land, and the Cape 

 Yerde Islands from Africa; such colonists would be 

 liable to modification, — the principle of inheritance still 

 betraying their original birthplace. 



Many analogous facts could be given : indeed it is an 

 almost universal rule that the endemic productions of 

 islands are related to those of the nearest continent, or 

 of the nearest large island. The exceptions are few, 

 and most of them can be explained. Thus although 

 Kerguelen Land stands nearer to Africa than to America, 

 the plants are related, and that very closely, as we know 

 from Dr. Hooker's account, to those of America : but 

 on the view that this island has been mainly stocked 

 by seeds brought with earth and stones on icebergs, 

 drifted by the prevailing currents, this anomaly dis- 

 appears. New Zealand in its endemic planes is much 

 more closely related to Australia, the nearest mainland, 

 than to any other region: and this is what might have 

 been expected ; but it is also plainly related to South 

 America, which, although the next nearest continent, is 



