1897.] The Origin of the Galapagos Islands. 669 
Var. Abingdonensis.—Collected on Abingdon Island, by Dr. 
Baur, September, 1891. This form is so well marked as to 
merit varietal rank. 
In Amarantus sclerantoides Ands. a racial variation has been 
noted similar to that in Euphorbia viminea. The type of the 
former was colleeted on Charles Island by Anderson. Two 
forms collected by Dr. Baur upon Chatham and Hood Islands 
differ perceptibly in foliage : 
orma Chathamensis.—Collected at Chatham Island, lower 
region, southwest end, June, 
Forma Hoodensis.—Collected on Hood Island, July, 1891. 
We shall now see what Mr. W. Botting Hemsley, of the 
Royal Kew Gardens, has to say, who is a specialist in insular 
oras. 
In 1894 the first part of a splendid series of papers appeared 
in Science Progress under the title, “Insular Floras,” in which 
some remarks about the flora of the Galápagos are made. At 
the end the following sentence occurs: 
“Concerning the origin of the fauna and flora of the Galá- 
pagos, Agassiz vigorously attacks and ridicules Baur’s theory 
of subsidence, put forward with so much confidence, and briefly 
stated thus: ‘The Galapagos are continental islands, originated 
through subsidence ; they all formed at a past period one large 
island, and this island itself was at a still former period in | 
connection with the American continent.’* It will be sufficient 
“Hemsley, W. Botting. Insular Floras. Science Progress, Vol. I, No. 5, 
Juy, 1894, p. 400- hig 
° These words occur in my paper on the ‘‘ Origin of the Galápagos Islands,” 
April, 1891, p. 307, ‘published before my departure. The sentence which ex- 
eory is preceded by the following words: “I started with the sen- 
tence that continental islands must have a harmonic flora and fauna. In the 
Galápagos we found absolute harmony ; my conclusion, therefore, is,’ etc. I have 
replied to the criticisms made by Prof. Agassiz in his, ‘‘ General Sketch of the 
Expedition of the Albatross,” from February to May, 1891, (Bull. Mus. Comp. 
Zool., Harvard Col., Vol. XXIII, No. 1, Cambridge, Feb., 1892) in Science, 
Vol. XIX, No. 477, March 25, 1892, p. 176. From this I quote the following: 
“Professor Agassiz has completely overlooked the main point of my argument. 
This I considered the harmony in the distribution of fauna and flora, as will be 
seen by referring to my paper. I tried to show that this harmony was absolutely 
unexplainable by the theory of elevation. After this was done, I examined 
whether our present knowledge of the soundings showed any serious obstacle to 
