A third great fact, partly included in the foregoing
statement, statement, 1869 1872 | statements, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
is the affinity of the productions of the same continent or
of the same sea, of the same sea, 1869 1872 |
sea, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
though the species themselves are distinct at different points and stations. It is a law of the widest generality, and every continent offers innumerable instances. Nevertheless the
naturalist, naturalist, 1866 1869 1872 | naturalist 1859 1860 1861 |
in travelling, for instance, from north to
south, south, 1866 1869 1872 | south 1859 1860 1861 |
never fails to be struck by the manner in which successive groups of beings, specifically distinct,
....... 1869 | yet 1859 1860 1861 1866 | though 1872 |
nearly nearly 1869 1872 | clearly 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
related, replace each other. He hears from closely allied, yet distinct kinds of birds, notes nearly similar, and sees their nests similarly constructed, but not quite alike, with eggs coloured in nearly the same manner. The plains near the Straits of Magellan are inhabited by one species of Rhea (American ostrich), and northward
the plains of La Plata by another species of the same genus; and not by a true ostrich or
emu, emu, 1860 1861 1866 1869 1872 | emeu, 1859 |
like those
inhabiting inhabiting 1869 1872 | found in 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
Africa and Australia under the same latitude. On these same plains of La Plata,
we see the agouti and bizcacha, animals having nearly the same habits as our hares and rabbits and belonging to the same order of Rodents, but they plainly display an American type of structure. We ascend the lofty peaks of the
Cordillera, Cordillera, 1866 1869 1872 | Cordillera 1859 1860 1861 |
and we find an alpine species of bizcacha; we look to the waters, and we do not find the beaver or musk-rat, but the coypu and capybara, rodents of the
S. American S. American 1869 1872 | American 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
type. Innumerable other instances could be given. If we look to the islands off the American shore, however much they may differ in geological structure, the
inhabitants inhabitants 1869 1872 | inhabitants, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
are essentially American, though are essentially American, though 1869 1872 |
though 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
they may be all peculiar
species. species. 1869 1872 | species, 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
....... 1869 1872 | are 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
....... 1869 1872 | essentially 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
....... 1869 1872 | American. 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
We may look back to past ages, as shown in the last chapter, and we find American types then
prevailing prevailing 1869 1872 | prevalent 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
on
|