ThesetwospeciesofAmblyrhynchusagree，asIhavealreadystated，intheirgeneralstructure，andinmanyoftheirhabits。Neitherhavethatrapidmovement，socharacteristicofthegeneraLacertaandIguana。Theyarebothherbivorous，althoughthekindofvegetationonwhichtheyfeedissoverydifferent。Mr。Bellhasgiventhenametothegenusfromtheshortnessofthesnout：indeed，theformofthemouthmayalmostbecomparedtothatofthetortoise：oneisledtosupposethatthisisanadaptationtotheirherbivorousappetites。Itisveryinterestingthustofindawell-characterizedgenus，havingitsmarineandterrestrialspecies，belongingtosoconfinedaportionoftheworld。Theaquaticspeciesisbyfarthemostremarkable，becauseitistheonlyexistinglizardwhichlivesonmarinevegetableproductions。AsIatfirstobserved，theseislandsarenotsoremarkableforthenumberofthespeciesofreptiles，asforthatoftheindividuals，whenwerememberthewell-beatenpathsmadebythethousandsofhugetortoises——themanyturtles——thegreatwarrensoftheterrestrialAmblyrhynchus——andthegroupsofthemarinespeciesbaskingonthecoast-rocksofeveryisland——wemustadmitthatthereisnootherquarteroftheworldwherethisOrderreplacestheherbivorousmammaliainsoextraordinaryamanner。ThegeologistonhearingthiswillprobablyreferbackinhismindtotheSecondaryepochs，whenlizards，someherbivorous，somecarnivorous，andofdimensionscomparableonlywithourexistingwhales，swarmedonthelandandinthesea。Itis，therefore，worthyofhisobservation，thatthisarchipelago，insteadofpossessingahumidclimateandrankvegetation，cannotbeconsideredotherwisethanextremelyarid，and，foranequatorialregion，remarkablytemperate。
Tofinishwiththezoology：thefifteenkindsofsea-fishwhichIprocuredhereareallnewspecies；theybelongtotwelvegenera，allwidelydistributed，withtheexceptionofPrionotus，ofwhichthefourpreviouslyknownspeciesliveontheeasternsideofAmerica。Ofland-shellsIcollectedsixteenkinds(andtwomarkedvarieties，ofwhich，withtheexceptionofoneHelixfoundatTahiti，allarepeculiartothisarchipelago：asinglefresh-watershell(Paludina)iscommontoTahitiandVanDiemen’sLand。Mr。Cuming，beforeourvoyageprocuredhereninetyspeciesofsea-shells，andthisdoesnotincludeseveralspeciesnotyetspecificallyexamined，ofTrochus，Turbo，Monodonta，andNassa。Hehasbeenkindenoughtogivemethefollowinginterestingresults：Oftheninetyshells，nolessthanforty-sevenareunknownelsewhere——awonderfulfact，consideringhowwidelydistributedsea-shellsgenerallyare。Oftheforty-threeshellsfoundinotherpartsoftheworld，twenty-fiveinhabitthewesterncoastofAmerica，andoftheseeightaredistinguishableasvarieties；theremainingeighteen(includingonevariety)werefoundbyMr。CumingintheLowArchipelago，andsomeofthemalsoatthePhilippines。ThisfactofshellsfromislandsinthecentralpartsofthePacificoccurringhere，deservesnotice，fornotonesinglesea-shellisknowntobecommontotheislandsofthatoceanandtothewestcoastofAmerica。Thespaceofopensearunningnorthandsouthoffthewestcoast，separatestwoquitedistinctconchologicalprovinces；
butattheGalapagosArchipelagowehaveahalting-place，wheremanynewformshavebeencreated，andwhitherthesetwogreatconchologicalprovinceshaveeachsentupseveralcolonists。TheAmericanprovincehasalsosenthererepresentativespecies；forthereisaGalapageianspeciesofMonoceros，agenusonlyfoundonthewestcoastofAmerica；andthereareGalapageianspeciesofFissurellaandCancellaria，generacommononthewestcoast，butnotfound(asIaminformedbyMr。Cuming)inthecentralislandsofthePacific。Ontheotherhand，thereareGalapageianspeciesofOnisciaandStylifer，generacommontotheWestIndiesandtotheChineseandIndianseas，butnotfoundeitheronthewestcoastofAmericaorinthecentralPacific。Imayhereadd，thatafterthecomparisonbyMessrs。CumingandHindsofabout2000shellsfromtheeasternandwesterncoastsofAmerica，onlyonesingleshellwasfoundincommon，namely，thePurpurapatula，whichinhabitstheWestIndies，thecoastofPanama，andtheGalapagos。
Wehave，therefore，inthisquarteroftheworld，threegreatconchologicalsea-provinces，quitedistinct，thoughsurprisinglyneareachother，beingseparatedbylongnorthandsouthspaceseitheroflandorofopensea。
Itookgreatpainsincollectingtheinsects，butexceptingTierradelFuego，Ineversawinthisrespectsopooracountry。EvenintheupperanddampregionIprocuredveryfew，exceptingsomeminuteDipteraandHymenoptera，mostlyofcommonmundaneforms。Asbeforeremarked，theinsects，foratropicalregion，areofverysmallsizeanddullcolours。OfbeetlesIcollectedtwenty-fivespecies(excludingaDermestesandCorynetesimported，whereverashiptouches)；ofthese，twobelongtotheHarpalidae，twototheHydrophilidae，ninetothreefamiliesoftheHeteromera，andtheremainingtwelvetoasmanydifferentfamilies。Thiscircumstanceofinsects(andImayaddplants)，wherefewinnumber，belongingtomanydifferentfamilies，is，Ibelieve，verygeneral。Mr。Waterhouse，whohaspublished[4]anaccountoftheinsectsofthisarchipelago，andtowhomIamindebtedfortheabovedetails，informsmethatthereareseveralnewgenera：andthatofthegeneranotnew，oneortwoareAmerican，andtherestofmundanedistribution。Withtheexceptionofawood-feedingApate，andofoneorprobablytwowater-beetlesfromtheAmericancontinent，allthespeciesappeartobenew。
Thebotanyofthisgroupisfullyasinterestingasthezoology。Dr。
J。Hookerwillsoonpublishinthe“LinneanTransactions“afullaccountoftheFlora，andIammuchindebtedtohimforthefollowingdetails。
Offloweringplantsthereare，asfarasatpresentisknown，185species，and40cryptogamicspecies，makingaltogether225；ofthisnumberIwasfortunateenoughtobringhome193。Ofthefloweringplants，100arenewspecies，andareprobablyconfinedtothisarchipelago。Dr。Hookerconceivesthat，oftheplantsnotsoconfined，atleast10speciesfoundnearthecultivatedgroundatCharlesIsland，havebeenimported。Itis，Ithink，surprisingthatmoreAmericanspecieshavenotbeenintroducednaturally，consideringthatthedistanceisonlybetween500and600milesfromthecontinent，andthat(accordingtoCollnet，p。58)drift-wood，bamboos，canes，andthenutsofapalm，areoftenwashedonthesouth-easternshores。
Theproportionof100floweringplantsoutof183(or175excludingtheimportedweeds)beingnew，issufficient，Iconceive，tomaketheGalapagosArchipelagoadistinctbotanicalprovince；butthisFloraisnotnearlysopeculiarasthatofSt。Helena，nor，asIaminformedbyDr。Hooker，ofJuanFernandez。ThepeculiarityoftheGalapageianFloraisbestshownincertainfamilies；——thusthereare21speciesofCompositae，ofwhich20arepeculiartothisarchipelago；thesebelongtotwelvegenera，andofthesegeneranolessthantenareconfinedtothearchipelago！Dr。HookerinformsmethattheFlorahasanundoubtedlyWesternAmericancharacter；
norcanhedetectinitanyaffinitywiththatofthePacific。If，therefore，weexcepttheeighteenmarine，theonefresh-water，andoneland-shell，whichhaveapparentlycomehereascolonistsfromthecentralislandsofthePacific，andlikewisetheonedistinctPacificspeciesoftheGalapageiangroupoffinches，weseethatthisarchipelago，thoughstandinginthePacificOcean，iszoologicallypartofAmerica。
IfthischaracterwereowingmerelytoimmigrantsfromAmerica，therewouldbelittleremarkableinit；butweseethatavastmajorityofallthelandanimals，andthatmorethanhalfofthefloweringplants，areaboriginalproductionsItwasmoststrikingtobesurroundedbynewbirds，newreptiles，newshells，newinsects，newplants，andyetbyinnumerabletriflingdetailsofstructure，andevenbythetonesofvoiceandplumageofthebirds，tohavethetemperateplainsofPatagonia，orratherthehotdrydesertsofNorthernChile，vividlybroughtbeforemyeyes。Why，onthesesmallpointsofland，whichwithinalategeologicalperiodmusthavebeencoveredbytheocean，whichareformedbybasalticlava，andthereforedifferingeologicalcharacterfromtheAmericancontinent，andwhichareplacedunderapeculiarclimate，——whyweretheiraboriginalinhabitants，associated，Imayadd，indifferentproportionsbothinkindandnumberfromthoseonthecontinent，andthereforeactingoneachotherinadifferentmanner——whyweretheycreatedonAmericantypesoforganization？
ItisprobablethattheislandsoftheCapedeVerdgroupresemble，inalltheirphysicalconditions，farmorecloselytheGalapagosIslands，thantheselatterphysicallyresemblethecoastofAmerica，yettheaboriginalinhabitantsofthetwogroupsaretotallyunlike；thoseoftheCapedeVerdIslandsbearingtheimpressofAfrica，astheinhabitantsoftheGalapagosArchipelagoarestampedwiththatofAmericaIhavenotasyetnoticedbyfarthemostremarkablefeatureinthenaturalhistoryofthisarchipelago；itis，thatthedifferentislandstoaconsiderableextentareinhabitedbyadifferentsetofbeings。MyattentionwasfirstcalledtothisfactbytheVice-Governor，Mr。Lawson，declaringthatthetortoisesdifferedfromthedifferentislands，andthathecouldwithcertaintytellfromwhichislandanyonewasbrought。Ididnotforsometimepaysufficientattentiontothisstatement，andIhadalreadypartiallymingledtogetherthecollectionsfromtwooftheislands。
Ineverdreamedthatislands，about50or60milesapart，andmostoftheminsightofeachother，formedofpreciselythesamerocks，placedunderaquitesimilarclimate，risingtoanearlyequalheight，wouldhavebeendifferentlytenanted；butweshallsoonseethatthisisthecase。Itisthefateofmostvoyagers，nosoonertodiscoverwhatismostinterestinginanylocality，thantheyarehurriedfromit；butIought，perhaps，tobethankfulthatIobtainedsufficientmaterialstoestablishthismostremarkablefactinthedistributionoforganicbeings。
Theinhabitants，asIhavesaid，statethattheycandistinguishthetortoisesfromthedifferentislands；andthattheydiffernotonlyinsize，butinothercharacters。CaptainPorterhasdescribed[5]thosefromCharlesandfromthenearestislandtoit，namely，HoodIsland，ashavingtheirshellsinfrontthickandturneduplikeaSpanishsaddle，whilstthetortoisesfromJamesIslandarerounder，blacker，andhaveabettertastewhencooked。M。Bibron，moreover，informsmethathehasseenwhatheconsiderstwodistinctspeciesoftortoisefromtheGalapagos，buthedoesnotknowfromwhichislands。ThespecimensthatIbroughtfromthreeislandswereyoungones：andprobablyowingtothiscauseneitherMr。Graynormyselfcouldfindinthemanyspecificdifferences。IhaveremarkedthatthemarineAmblyrhynchuswaslargeratAlbemarleIslandthanelsewhere；andM。Bibroninformsmethathehasseentwodistinctaquaticspeciesofthisgenus；sothatthedifferentislandsprobablyhavetheirrepresentativespeciesorracesoftheAmblyrhynchus，aswellasofthetortoise。Myattentionwasfirstthoroughlyaroused，bycomparingtogetherthenumerousspecimens，shotbymyselfandseveralotherpartiesonboard，ofthemocking-thrushes，when，tomyastonishment，IdiscoveredthatallthosefromCharlesIslandbelongedtoonespecies(Mimustrifasciatus)
allfromAlbemarleIslandtoM。parvulus；andallfromJamesandChathamIslands(betweenwhichtwootherislandsaresituated，asconnectinglinks)
belongedtoM。melanotis。Thesetwolatterspeciesarecloselyallied，andwouldbysomeornithologistsbeconsideredasonlywell-markedracesorvarieties；buttheMimustrifasciatusisverydistinct。Unfortunatelymostofthespecimensofthefinchtribeweremingledtogether；butIhavestrongreasonstosuspectthatsomeofthespeciesofthesub-groupGeospizaareconfinedtoseparateislands。IfthedifferentislandshavetheirrepresentativesofGeospiza，itmayhelptoexplainthesingularlylargenumberofthespeciesofthissub-groupinthisonesmallarchipelago，andasaprobableconsequenceoftheirnumbers，theperfectlygraduatedseriesinthesizeoftheirbeaks。Twospeciesofthesub-groupCactornis，andtwooftheCamarhynchus，wereprocuredinthearchipelago；andofthenumerousspecimensofthesetwosub-groupsshotbyfourcollectorsatJamesIsland，allwerefoundtobelongtoonespeciesofeach；whereasthenumerousspecimensshoteitheronChathamorCharlesIsland(forthetwosetsweremingledtogether)allbelongedtothetwootherspecies：hencewemayfeelalmostsurethattheseislandspossesstheirrespectivespeciesofthesetwosub-groups。
Inland-shellsthislawofdistributiondoesnotappeartoholdgood。
Inmyverysmallcollectionofinsects，Mr。Waterhouseremarks，thatofthosewhichwereticketedwiththeirlocality，notonewascommontoanytwooftheislands。
IfwenowturntotheFlora，weshallfindtheaboriginalplantsofthedifferentislandswonderfullydifferent。IgiveallthefollowingresultsonthehighauthorityofmyfriendDr。J。Hooker。ImaypremisethatI
indiscriminatelycollectedeverythinginfloweronthedifferentislands，andfortunatelykeptmycollectionsseparate。Toomuchconfidence，however，mustnotbeplacedintheproportionalresults，asthesmallcollectionsbroughthomebysomeothernaturaliststhoughinsomerespectsconfirmingtheresults，plainlyshowthatmuchremainstobedoneinthebotanyofthisgroup：theLeguminosae，moreover，hasasyetbeenonlyapproximatelyworkedout：——NumberofSpeciesconfinedtotheNumberofNumberofGalapagosspeciesspeciesNumberArchipelagoTotalfoundinconfinedconfinedbutfoundNameNumberothertothetotheonmoreofofpartsofGalapagosonethantheIslandSpeciestheworldArchipelagoislandoneislandJames
