| → continents which are now 1859 1860 1861 1866 |
| most of our continents which now stand 1869 1872 |
|
| → affinity 1866 1869 1872 |
| relation (as we shall hereafter see) 1859 1860 1861 |
|
| → mammals inhabiting islands with those 1866 1869 1872 |
| distribution of mammals and the depth 1859 1860 1861 |
|
| → nearest continent, being in part determined (as we shall hereafter see) by the depth of the intervening ocean,— 1866 1869 1872 |
| sea,— 1859 1860 1861 |
|
| → seem to me 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| are 1872 |
|
| → likewise seem to me 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| are likewise 1872 |
|
| → of such islands favour 1866 1869 1872 |
| favour 1859 1860 1861 |
|
| → OMIT 1866 |
| mountain-ranges on the land, some at least of the islands would have been formed, like other 1859 1860 1861 |
| continental mountain-ranges, some at least of the islands would have been formed, like other 1869 1872 |
|
| → distribution. 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869 |
| distribution. I shall here confine myself to plants. 1872 |
|
|
something definite about the means of distribution, we shall be enabled to speculate with security on the former extension of the land. But I do not believe that it will ever be proved that within the recent period
→continents which are now
quite separate, have been continuously, or almost
united with each other, and with the many existing oceanic islands. Several facts in distribution,— such as the great difference in the marine faunas on the opposite sides of almost every continent,— the close relation of the tertiary inhabitants of several lands and even seas to their present inhabitants,—
degree of
→affinity
between the
→mammals inhabiting islands with those
of the
→nearest continent, being in part determined (as we shall hereafter see) by the depth of the intervening ocean,—
these and other such facts
→seem to me
opposed to the admission of such prodigious geographical revolutions within the recent period, as are
on the view advanced by Forbes and admitted by his
followers. The nature and relative proportions of the inhabitants of oceanic islands
→likewise seem to me
opposed to the belief of their former continuity with continents. Nor does
almost universally volcanic composition
→of such islands favour
the admission that they are the wrecks of sunken continents;— if they had originally existed as
→OMIT
mountain-summits, of granite, metamorphic schists, old fossiliferous
other
rocks, instead of consisting of mere piles of volcanic matter. |
|
| I must now say a few words on what are called accidental means, but which more properly
be called occasional means of
→distribution. I shall here confine myself to plants. In botanical works, this or that plant is
to be ill adapted for wide dissemination; but
|
