674 The American Naturalist. [August, 
of species are so different, as to-day, the attempted explanations 
will be different. Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites.” 
Mr. Ridgway” does not reach a definite conclusion about 
the origin of the Galapagos, but he says: “If the apparent re- 
lationships of the fauna have any bearing on the question, I 
believe Dr. Baur’s theory to be at least worthy of serious con- 
sideration.” 
* In regard to the question of relationship of the six peculiar 
genera of the Galapagos, Ridgway reaches the following con- 
clusion. Only two (Nesomimus and Nesopelia) are of evident 
American relationship. The remaining 3 [4] haveso obvious 
a leaning toward certain Hawaiian Diceeidine forms that the 
possibility of a former land connection, either continuous or 
by means of intermediate islands as ‘ stepping stones,’ becomes — 
a factor in the problem. It may be that the resemblance of 
Cocornis, ‘Cactornis, and Camarhynchus, to the above-mentioned 
Hawaiian forms (Lorioides, Telespiza and Psittirostra) is merely 
a superficial one, and not indicative of real relationship. I do 
not by any means claim, on the strength of such evidence, a 
common origin for them, but merely present the facts as‘ food 
for reflection.’ Certhidea is also compared with Hawaiian genus 
Oreomyza, of the chiefly Polynesian family Dicæidæ. 
Since there is no relation whatever of the Galapagos fauna 
and flora as a whole to fauna and flora of the Hawaiian Islands, 
the similarities between these birds are certainly only superfi- 
cial. A former connection between the Galápagos and the 
Hawaiian Islands is entirely out of the question, these two 
archipelagos are 7350 miles distant from each other, there is 
not a single island placed between them, and the intervening 
sea is 4000 meters deep. 
For the opponents of the subsidence theory I give now a few 
striking examples of continental islands. 
The Solomon Islands are connected by the 2000 m. line with 
New Guinea and the New Hebrides. The Solomon Islands 
possess 12 species of Amphibia.” 
16 Ridgway, Robert. Birds of the Galápagos Archipelago. Proc. U.S. Nat. 
Mus., Vol. XIX, p. 465-467. Washington, 1896 [published April 1, 1897]. 
7 Boulenger, G. A. On the Reptiles and Batrachians of the Solomon Islands, 
Trans. Zool. Soc. London, Vol. XII, part I, April, 1886, p. 47-62, pl. VIII-XII- 
Second Contribution to the Herpetology of the Solomon Islands. Proc. Zool. Soc., 
1887, II, p. 333-338. 
