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"The most striking and important fact for us in regard to the inhabitants of islands,
is their affinity to those of the nearest mainland, without being actually the same species. Numerous instances could be given.... I will give only one, that of the Galapagos Archipelago.... Here, almost every product of the land and water bears the unmistakeable stamp of the American continent. [Several examples given.] The naturalist, looking at the inhabitants of these volcanic islands in the Pacific, distant several hundred miles from the continent, yet feels that he is standing on American land. Why should this be so? Why should the species which are supposed to be created in the Galapagos Archipelago, and nowhere else, bear so plain a stamp of affinity to those created in America? There is nothing in the conditions of life, in the geologic nature of the islands, in their height or climate..., which resembles closely the conditions of the South American coast: in fact, there is a condiserable dissimilarity in all of these respects. On the other hand, there is a considerable degree of resemblance in the volcanic nature of the soil, in climate, height, and size of the islands, between the Galapagos and Cape de Verde archipelagoes: but what an entire and absolute difference in their inhabitants! The inhabitants of the Cape de Verde Islands are related to those of Africa, like those of the Galapagos to America. I believe this grand fact can receive no sort of explanation on the ordinary view of independent creation; whereas on the view here maintained, it is obvious that the Galapagos Islands would be likely to receive colonists... from America, and the Cape de Verde Islands from Africa, and that such colonists would be liable to modification; —the principle of inheritance still betraying their original birthplace." |
| Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species..., p. 397-399 |