394 
GEOGKAPHIOAL DISTKIBUTION. 
Chap. Xll. 
instance, free from doubt, of a terrestrial mammal 
(excluding domesticated animals kept by the natives) 
inhabiting an island situated above 300 miles from a 
continent or great continental island; and many islands 
situated at a much less distance are equally barren. 
The Falkland Islands, which are inhabited by a wolf¬ 
like fox, come nearest to an exception; but this group 
cannot be considered as oceanic, as it lies on a bank con¬ 
nected with the mainland; moreover, icebergs formerly 
brought boulders to its western shores, and they may 
have formerly transported foxes, as so frequently now 
happens in the arctic regions. Yet it cannot be said 
that small islands will not support small mammals, 
for they occur in many parts of the world on very 
small islands, if close to a continent; and hardly an 
island can be named on which our smaller quadrupeds 
have not become naturahsed and greatly multiplied. 
It cannot be said, on the ordinary view of creation, 
that there has not been time for the creation of mam¬ 
mals ; many volcanic islands are sufficiently ancient, 
as shown by the stupendous degradation which they 
have suffered and by their tertiary strata: there has 
also been time for the production of endemic species 
belonging to other classes; and on continents it is 
thought that mammals appear and disappear at a 
quicker rate than other and lower animals. Though 
terrestrial mammals do not occur on oceanic islands, 
aerial mammals do occur on almost every island. New 
Zealand possesses two bats found nowhere else in the 
world : Norfolk Island, the Viti Archipelago, the Bonin 
Islands, the Caroline and Marianne Archipelagoes, and 
Mauritius, all possess their peculiar bats. Why, it may 
be asked, has the supposed creative force produced 
bats and no other mammals on remote islands ? On 
my view this question can easily be answered; for no 
