CHAP. XIX.] 



THE MADAGASCAR GROUP. 



409 



though totally distinct forms do exist in ISTew Zealand, where 

 enemies are equally wanting. On the other hand, every con- 

 tinent has always produced abundance of carnivora adapted to 

 prey upon the herbivorous animals inhabiting it at the same 

 period ; and we may therefore be sure that these islands have 

 never formed part of a continent during any portion of the time 

 when the dodos inhabited them. 



It is a remarkable thing that an ornithologist of Dr. Hart- 

 laub's reputation, looking at the subject from a purely ornitho- 

 logical point of view, should yet entirely ignore the evidence of 

 these wonderful and unique birds against his own theory, when 

 he so confidently characterises Lemuria as " that sunken land 

 which, containing parts of Africa, must have extended far east- 

 ward over Southern India and Cejlon, and the highest points of 

 which we recognise in the volcanic peaks of Bourbon and 

 Mauritius, and in the central range of Madagascar itself — the 

 last resorts of the mostly extinct Lemurine race w^hich formerly 

 peopled it." ^ It is here implied that lemurs formerly inhabited 

 Bourbon and Mauritius, but of this there is not a particle of 

 evidence, and we feel pretty sure that had they done so the 

 dodos would never have been developed there. In Madagascar 

 there are no traces of dodos, while there are remains of extinct 

 gigantic struthious birds of the genus JEpyornis, which were no 

 doubt as well able to protect themselves against the smaller 

 carnivora as are the ostriches, emus, and cassowaries in their 

 respective countries at the present day. 



The whole of the evidence at our command, therefore, tends to 

 establish in a very complete manner the oceanic " character of 

 the three islands — Mauritius, Bourbon, and Rodriguez, and that 

 they have never formed part of Lemuria," or of any continent. 



Beptiles. — Mauritius, like Bourbon, has lizards, some of which 

 are peculiar species ; but no snakes, and no frogs or toads 

 but such as have been introduced.^ Strange to say, however, a 

 small islet called Round Island, only about a mile across, and 



1 See lUs, 1877, p. 334. 



2 A common Indian and Malayan toad {Bufo melanostktus) has been 

 introduced into Manritins and also some European toads, as 1 am informed 

 by Dr. Giinther. 



