424 
GALAPAGOS ARCHIPELAGO 
CHAP. 
apparently recent (in a geological sense) volcanic origin, render 
it highly unlikely that they were ever united ; and this, 
probably, is a far more important consideration than any 
other, with respect to the geographical distribution of their 
inhabitants. Reviewing the facts here given, one is astonished 
at the amount of creative force, if such an expression may be 
used, displayed on these small, barren, and rocky islands ; and 
still more so, at its diverse yet analogous action on points so 
near each other. I have said that the Galapagos Archipelago 
might be called a satellite attached to America, but it should 
rather be called a group of satellites, physically similar, 
organically distinct, yet intimately related to each other, and 
all related in a marked, though much lesser degree, to the 
great American continent. 
I will conclude my description of the natural history of 
these islands by giving an account of the extreme tameness 
of the birds. 
This disposition is common to all the terrestrial species ; 
namely, to the mocking-thrushes, the finches, wrens, tyrant- 
flycatchers, the dove, and carrion-buzzard. All of them often 
approached sufficiently near to be killed with a switch, and 
sometimes, as I myself tried, with a cap or hat. A gun is 
here almost superfluous ; for with the muzzle I pushed a hawk 
off the branch of a tree. One day, whilst lying down, a 
mocking-thrush alighted on the edge of a pitcher, made of 
the shell of a tortoise, which I held in my hand, and began 
very quietly to sip the water ; it allowed me to lift it from 
the ground whilst seated on the vessel : I often tried, and 
very nearly succeeded in catching these birds by their legs. 
Formerly the birds appear to have been even tamer than at 
present. Cowley (in. the year 1684) says that the “Turtle¬ 
doves were so tame, that they would often alight upon our 
hats and arms, so as that we could take them alive : they not 
fearing man, until such time as some of our company did fire 
at them, whereby they were rendered more shy.” Dampier 
also, in the same year, says that a man in a morning’s walk 
might kill six or seven dozen of these doves. At present, 
although certainly very tame, they do not alight on people’s 
arms, nor do they suffer themselves to be killed in such large 
