1897.] The Origin of the Galapagos Islands. 663 
single volcanic islands, that they were formerly connected 
through Cocos Island with Central America.” He correctly re- 
jects the hypothesis of the consistency of continents and oceans, 
(Dr. A. Petermann’s Mitteilungen, 1895, Heft 12, p. 184-185.) 
Günther’ remarks: “It is known and generally admitted, 
that for the solution of the question about the origin of a cer- 
tain island, or a group of islands, the application of zoogeo- 
graphy is of the highest value. The paper before me shows 
how important it will be for physiography, if correctly applied. 
Professor Alexander Agassiz had insisted that the Galapagos 
Islands never had been in connection with the American conti- 
nent, but were typical volcanic islands. But, if the single 
islands are all of marine origin, if they were occupied only 
later by organisms from the continent, fauna and flora ought 
to show a pretty variegated aspect, making an impression of a 
mixture of forms. There would be no reason, why one of the 
islands, which are all closely placed together, should have been 
preferred to another one, if really the currents of the air and 
the sea alone effect the transportation of organic germs. 
Baur’s detailed examination revealed a totally different pic- 
ture. He showed that each, or nearly each islandghas peculiar 
representatives of certain genera, Tropidurus, birds, etc. This 
can only be explained by subsidence. The tables given by 
Baur of the distribution cannot be misunderstood. The Galá- 
pagos must be considered as the remains of a Miocene land— 
connection with the continent, to which belonged probably also 
the West Indian Archipelago.” 
Böttger’ also agrees with me, and as his review with 
the following sentence: “ Baur finally reached the conclusion, 
that the lines of the continents of former geological periods do 
not agree at all with those of the present continents, the more 
we go back in geological time the larger are the differences.” 
“ With this theoretical exposition he gives us an interesting ex- 
ample, that by biological research deductions can be made for 
geological problems.” 
*Giinther, 8, Naturwissensch. Rundschau, 1895, No. 42, p. 542-543. 
? Böttger, O. Zoolog. Centralbl., I, No. 15, p. 401-463, Sept. 2, 1895. 
