The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...
The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ... The geographical distribution of animals, with a study of the relations ...
446 ZOOLOGICAL GEOGRAPHY. [part hi.The aquatic birds and waders all belong to wide-spreadgenera, and only one or two are peculiar species."The Sandwich Islands thus possess a larger proportion ofpeculiar genera and speciesof land-birds than any other groupof islands, and they are even more strikingly characterised bywhat seems to be a peculiar family. The only other class ofterrestrial animals at all adequately represented on these islands,are the land shells ;and here too we find a peculiar family, subfamily,or genus (Achatinella or Achatinellidse)consisting of anumber of genera, or sub-genera,— according to the divergent viewsof modern conchologists,—and nearly 300 species. The Eev. J.T. Gulick, who has made a special study of these shells on thespot, considers that there are 10 genera, some of which are confinedto single islands. The species are so restricted that theiraverage range is not more than five or six square miles, whilesome areconfined to a tract of only two square miles in extent,and very few range over an entire island. Some species areconfined to the mountain ridges, others to the valleys ;and eachridge or valley possesses its peculiar species. Considerablymore than half the species occur in the island of Oahu, wherethere is a good deal of forest. Very few shells belonging toother groups occur, and they are all small and obscure ; theAchatinellse almost monopolising the entire archipelago.Remarks on the probable past history of the Sandwich Islands.—The existence of these peculiar groups of birds and landshellsin so remote a group of volcanic islands, clearly indicatesthat they are but the relics of a more extensive land ; and thereefs and islets that stretch for more than 1,000 miles in a westnorth-westdirection, may be the remains of a country oncesufficiently extensive to develope these and many other, nowextinct, forms of life. 1Some light may perhaps be thrown on the past history of the1A new genus of Beetles (Apterocyclus) of the family Lucanidse, hasrecently been described from the Sandwich Islands, and it is said to be mostnearly related to a group inhabiting Chih,—an indication either of the greatantiquity of the fauna, or of the varied accidental migrations from which ithas had its origin.
—;chap, xiii.] THE AUSTRALIAN REGION. 447Sandwich Islands, by the peculiar plants which are found ontheir mountains. The peak of Teneriffe produces no Alpineplants of European type, and this has been considered to provethat it has been always isolated ; whereas the occurrence of NorthTemperate forms on the mountains of Java, accords with other evidenceof this island having once formed part of the Asiatic continent.Now on the higher summits of the Sandwich Islands,nearly 30 genera of Arctic and North Temperate flowering plantshave been found. Many of these occur also in the South Temperatezone, in Australia or New Zealand ; but there are others whichseem plainly to point to a former connection with some NorthTemperate land, probably California, as a number of islets arescattered in the ocean between the two countries. The mostinteresting genera are the following :Silene, which is whollyNorth Temperate, except that it occurs in S. Africa ;Vicia,also North Temperate, and in South Temperate America;Fragaria, with a similar distribution; Aster, widely spreadin America, otherwise North Temperate only ; Vaccinium,wholly confined to the northern hemisphere, in cold andtemperate climates. None of these are found in Australia orNew Zealand ;and their presence in the Sandwich Islandsseems clearly to indicate a former approximation to NorthTemperate America, although the absence of any Americanforms of vertebrata renders it certain that no actual land connectionever took place.Recent soundings have shown, that the Sandwich Islandsrise from a sea which is 3,000 fathoms or 18,000 feet deepwhile there is a depth of at least 2,000 fathoms all across toCalifornia on one side, and to Japan on the other. Betweenthe Fiji Islands, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, andAustralia, the depth isabout 1,300 fathoms, and between Sydneyand New Zealand 2,600 fathoms ; showing, in every case, ageneral accordance between the depth of sea and the approximationof the several faunas. In a few more years, when it isto be hoped we shall know the contour of the sea-bottom betterthan that of the continents, we shall be able to arrive at moredefinite and trustworthy conclusions as to the probable changes
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—;chap, xiii.] THE AUSTRALIAN REGION. 447Sandwich Islands, by <strong>the</strong> peculiar plants which are found on<strong>the</strong>ir mountains. <strong>The</strong> peak <strong>of</strong> Teneriffe produces no Alpineplants <strong>of</strong> European type, and this has been considered to provethat it has been always isolated ; whereas <strong>the</strong> occurrence <strong>of</strong> NorthTemperate forms on <strong>the</strong> mountains <strong>of</strong> Java, accords <strong>with</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r evidence<strong>of</strong> this island having once formed part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Asiatic continent.Now on <strong>the</strong> higher summits <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sandwich Islands,nearly 30 genera <strong>of</strong> Arctic and North Temperate flowering plantshave been found. Many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se occur also in <strong>the</strong> South Temperatezone, in Australia or New Zealand ; but <strong>the</strong>re are o<strong>the</strong>rs whichseem plainly to point to a former connection <strong>with</strong> some NorthTemperate land, probably California, as a number <strong>of</strong> islets arescattered in <strong>the</strong> ocean between <strong>the</strong> two countries. <strong>The</strong> mostinteresting genera are <strong>the</strong> following :Silene, which is whollyNorth Temperate, except that it occurs in S. Africa ;Vicia,also North Temperate, and in South Temperate America;Fragaria, <strong>with</strong> a similar <strong>distribution</strong>; Aster, widely spreadin America, o<strong>the</strong>rwise North Temperate only ; Vaccinium,wholly confined to <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn hemisphere, in cold andtemperate climates. None <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se are found in Australia orNew Zealand ;and <strong>the</strong>ir presence in <strong>the</strong> Sandwich Islandsseems clearly to indicate a former approximation to NorthTemperate America, although <strong>the</strong> absence <strong>of</strong> any Americanforms <strong>of</strong> vertebrata renders it certain that no actual land connectionever took place.Recent soundings have shown, that <strong>the</strong> Sandwich Islandsrise from a sea which is 3,000 fathoms or 18,000 feet deepwhile <strong>the</strong>re is a depth <strong>of</strong> at least 2,000 fathoms all across toCalifornia on one side, and to Japan on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r. Between<strong>the</strong> Fiji Islands, New Caledonia, <strong>the</strong> Solomon Islands, andAustralia, <strong>the</strong> depth isabout 1,300 fathoms, and between Sydneyand New Zealand 2,600 fathoms ; showing, in every case, ageneral accordance between <strong>the</strong> depth <strong>of</strong> sea and <strong>the</strong> approximation<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> several faunas. In a few more years, when it isto be hoped we shall know <strong>the</strong> contour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sea-bottom betterthan that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> continents, we shall be able to arrive at moredefinite and trustworthy conclusions as to <strong>the</strong> probable changes
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