Origin of Species Variorum

↑ 1 blocks not present in 1859 1860 1861 1866 1869; present in 1872

Mr. Swaysland, of Brighton, who during the last forty years has paid close attention to our migratory birds, informs me that he has often shot wagtails (Motacillæ), wheatears, and whin-chats (Saxicolæ), on their first arrival on our shores, before they had alighted; and he has several times noticed little cakes of earth attached to their feet.

→ For instance, Prof. 1869 1872

I will give one case:— Mr. 1866

→ with 1869 1872

round the wounded leg and foot 1866

→ adhering to it, and weighing 1869 1872

had collected, and this when removed weighed 1866

→ feet or beaks? 1869 1872

feet? 1866

→ as suggested by Lyell, have 1866 1869 1872

have 1859 1860 1861

→ OMIT 1866 1869 1872

as suggested by Lyell; 1859 1860 1861

→ OMIT 1866 1869 1872

the species of 1859 1860 1861

→ species in the other islands of the Atlantic, which stand 1869

plants of other oceanic islands 1859 1860 1861

species in the other Atlantic islands which stand 1866

species on the other islands of the Atlantic, which stand 1872

as the seed of a vetch. Here is a better case: the leg of a woodcock was sent to me by a friend, with a little cake of dry earth attached to the shank, weighing only nine grains; and this contained a seed of the toad-rush (Juncus bufonius) which germinated and flowered. ↑ Many facts could be given showing how

generally

the

soil is

~~almost everywhere~~

almost everywhere

charged with seeds. →For instance, Prof. Newton sent me the leg of a red-legged partridge (Caccabis rufa) which had been wounded and could not

fly;

fly,

→with a ball of hard earth →adhering to it, and weighing six and a half ounces.

This

The

earth had been kept for three years, but when broken, watered and placed under a bell glass, no less than 82 plants sprung

....

from it: these consisted of

twelve

monocotyledons, including the common oat, and at least one kind of grass, and of 70 dicotyledons, which

included,

consisted,

judging from the young leaves,

of at

least three distinct species. With such facts before us, can we doubt that the many birds which are annually blown by gales across great spaces of ocean, and which annually migrate— for instance, the millions of quails across the Mediterranean— must occasionally transport a few seeds embedded in dirt adhering to their →feet or beaks? But I shall

presently

....

have to recur to this subject.

As icebergs are known to be sometimes loaded with earth and stones, and have even carried brushwood, bones, and the nest of a land-bird,

can hardly

doubt

be doubted

that they must

occasionally

occasionally,

→as suggested by Lyell, have transported seeds from one part to another of the arctic and

antarctic

antaretic

regions,

regions;

→OMIT and during the Glacial period from one part of the now temperate regions to another. In the Azores, from the large number of →OMIT plants common to Europe, in comparison with the →species in the other islands of the Atlantic, which stand nearer to the mainland, and (as remarked by Mr.