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



other hand, there is a considerable degree of resem- 

 blance in the volcanic nature of the soil, in the climate, 

 height, and size of the islands, between the Galapagos 

 and Cape Verde Archipelagoes: but what an entire and 

 absolute difference in their inhabitants! The inhabi- 

 tants of the Cape Verde 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 Amer- 

 ica, whether by occasional means of transport or (though 

 I do not .believe in this doctrine) by formerly continu- 

 ous land, and the Cape Verde Islands from Africa; 

 such colonists would be Hable 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 Amer- 

 ica, 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 



