New-York tribune., 1872-07-18


The geologists quite successful In getting spec
mems OF various animals over 90 different kind o. fishes
obtained and OF these thrce-fouths pec
liar TO the Galapagos OF the Galapos, from which the
islands are named, aud in which they once 20 richly
abounded only got few specimens, and those very
small compared with those OF 0lden time. They have
been eagerly hunted for their flesh that they have
been driven from the accessible places and stand
n good chance OF being altogether extermEated. Thor
brethren in the the tortuga seaturie, we saw DO
abundance, and got some very nne specimens. tAei-
which this archipelagois fam us-two lizards of genes
not found elsewhere, and very peculiar IN Their hahii-
The Spaniards called them iguan4a' nom uHW i'i
semblance that reptile In the Wet Indies and central
America. But they differ so much from their Aactc 1
cousin that they ought TO have pamc ot th'lt
own, and II the scientific ALaOBrh menus i'o1,
the creature Buntnose; on Charles Island we iolhI
abundance OF the crested Bluntnose climbing WIN f'l
agility over the rocks near Black Beach Int sit%tui, -
about 30 inches long neatly black, the old males having
deep red hue the sides. IL swims WITH great case
by s flat TAIL and its long fingers ana long nas of
scrambng on the rocks, holding tncm while swimming
sosc to the body Thero not trace OF wcpootednoss
swimming. They live on sca-weeds from the rocks IN
deep water, and their expression is mild ana LcrbVof
for something hdeOus, and eahy dsappoin'ed
In another respect our experience alherSd 20 nom 3!
in frightening them INTO the water, aud u.y
as she lay in Tagus Cove. Taeso c.es'.d
Bluntnoses we found upon all the hIiiG'-
The slightly crested BluntnOse found ony on Ais-
lead one for ts head is just az much crested IL,
aquatic brothers. The only differences between tucu..
apparent at first sight, these The terrestrial animal
is somewhat souter his is longer, his eye brehe
his tan less fatened and less crested ana hs color j.
dusky orange, deepening into Lr0wn on tic nnJqua-
ters His habits OF lie are very different as ne does no.
20 near the sea, but lives upon and plants ana uahs
burrow for himself Ia the sand aud among the fragments
OF lava He spreads his hind iess hdt o. Tie siouno,
raises his chest to the hight OF his fore eS anu tL,h
mods and winks at you in very odd way 10 ooked 10
me very much IKE swalloWlnE ana uouEnt !. poss,'
that the creature with ms head IN that position W.
lowed air Ike toad, as means OF breathing -""I''
ing into the lungs, not into the stomach.
FEARLESS ANIMALS AND insects.
One OF our most interesting adventures landing ID
little bay full OF seals, so tame. or rather 80 ir
afraid of men, that could tramp past groups OF sleep
the beach without awakening half OF them, aId
without apparently frightening half OF tof' that We
did awake. They seemed to be fond OF craw INK mad
bushes just above high-water mark and sleeping $50
or three in place, hudded close together Usdrr
bush lay mother and her two cubs, 30 fearless that o."
officers held piece OF cracker to tho ola one and
she smeed it in his fingers fearessy ~ she had
been pet dog Ihe CUPS quatIeled wan cd,n y'vi az
to which should cuGde nearest tGe mother dnd tLey az
three snaTed and snapped az the MES IN ne m'na,r"
q sleepy dog, and all this while party OF ladies "ud gen
tlemeD, creatures as large as the seals, ana Wih 'ie
seals could scarce have seen before 5000 i'"htS
more length Of arm and used their arms morc ~ Vie
manner OF quadruped than had supposed any s'u
could do. saw them walk on tue Deach wIn VIC NhoS
chest clear OF the ground and even jump upon tue sane
Their tayorite gymnastic exercise, however was 10 e
upon their backs and ROLL in the manner oi horse Ihe
tameness Of these seals and OF many OF IA" ud tds
was very surprising; the BUntnOses were moro shy
than we had expected | repeatedly nut my hna'rs
within half Inch of little yellowbrd7 "hd pleucs
and within six inches OF mOcking-bTdS. On James
Island the birds numerous and so tame ina,
while was trying the eXp rimcnt whether wEsthg 10
yeowbird would divert his attention 80 mucn - 10
make him allow me TO touch him, SIX o!ber bll,ds-1
including two mOckng birds--cane up aud alSbi,d
on twigs within two yards OF tie yelowihrd 10
what what was going on between is. A. ,'f
the flies, their tameness and pertiaciiy 81 ach,,
sion at the Galapagos, goes far beyond all travellers
accounts knew good housekeeper ~ New EnsmhI
who affirmed that houjenes eoGd NOT oe a,it'n ou & "
a unless you struck and killed one or tSo - oE"tf
to show the others th1t you were IA eaihs i TO-, - -,
not drive the Galapagos tles from You even VII tn"e
expedent The birds and seals are not irShteAen Ny
guns mean and the flies not frightened or dscour
| aged by having any amount OF tLeir comrades kcd'
IN m oGer TO ", ne n I'M @ fbe dies of tbeoc l
most they would burTsl, killing them, and thi0wlug
them into the water, from the time OF leaving tie b.agh
to the arrival on tie deck OF the smp and tue LAST ~
slaughtered before into the caDn no more AFRAID
OF YOU than the first one you slew at the beach Ihy
are not all biting les, have escaped trouble 4om
mosquitoes and biting flies during the whole voyage INT
they are crawling, tickling, adhesive, antazing er"-
tures. IL pleasant to nnd here at the Galapagos
species OF penguin smaller ana more SOBER ia uIts7 'I
old friends of the Straits OF Magellan Dat WIN t.S
same winning cunning manners that mad, the yr5 , ~
tue Straits such flyOriies with our party Ana WINE
speaking of the birds Ut these Islands, YOad mo- o.tt
MANY line specimens They sailed about la parties ol IA
toafi1g through the air. We tried their hcsn the
table and found n the most delcols game my "i""
to the canvasback, as IL seemed To us
ACTION THE SEA on THE LAVA.
One lesson must confess having learned at oieai
gable Island there ndisputable proof hit the SURF
of the sea is capable OF rounding angular fragments 81
lava into pebbles somewhat resembling IN shape tont
not at all in polish and grooving) glacial bowcrs. had
ALWAYS from boyhood doubted the power OF the sea To
| make angular fragments round had supposed that
the action of the surf upon such fragments woaii be sim
nlv IN mack them into sort Of McAdams roadway. And
even now having had this proof that under peculiar err
cumstances the can make tolerabe imitation of
drift not whit more ready t0 believe tdt Tue s'a
| mlle
| that four be made rom wEeat WIN pssth "'u
mortar but that will convince me that tsr nonr mar
kets of te world thus supplied. There are oe on t"o
little colonies the Isanus bat the co'ouas aaN1
hard lfe and there hardly be any agriculture tire
| Sor centuries to come. At present tho t"O
main products of the islands are tsirlpns ti"i's,
which almost exhausted, ana VIVA p-s' "Hi1H o. %
ittle worth, and which are destroying tHe "i pnss
and animals The areApelaso OILS AT pIS'u, p & aa.
opportunity for naturalist who desires To max '
dence here for several years and thoIosE-y 'AI~'o
their structure and their productions, to thro" soug
light upon the great modern question oi e 'a,1m & ="
speces and the doctrines OF evolution Younger tuah
uan Feruandes purely yocanlc bringing DO steds N'th
fbcn from the bottom OF the sea, having Lad Inc "a
alter and amend species introduced from the malaahd,
iiry organized bengs-their Blunt noses iVT cASnpcf
Tns was the question constantly recurring to me d@tg
my visit TO the Galapagos a. It mad been at Juan ~
uandes Prof AgassiZ gave US little tax QUO dAy on
our way TO Panama, nddlscussed thesame l.Ht. ~,
| pressing his admiration for Ddfwns mo,il Ia
Intellectual character and carrier scientific ,ab,re,
| he said that he considered his present inunen'o
| Oh science very peTuicigus as layOnng u" hdlh
! of filling up the wide gaps OF kno"i.dge
| by inaccurate aud superficial hypotho ser @ @What
we need in order TO our mow.d OF INC oman
OF species, is not hypothesis and speculation Ds ,e'
ful collation. OF facts aud careful tNIt1lo.i & % ~ r. V
speies were produced by variations taking pace M u
limited in 1Genns nS loI 6F this ocSrcnSt o such
marked pecuarities OF of renee rom the sniF,
world, in an archipelago that belongs wnoy 40 tbc pies
EN- geologicai epoth aul has lot existed "a u,n 40
time. IL very pleasant TO us an To near @ -iy
aud most earnest opponent 81 Darwin fti"'t.u Nlt'
such manifest sincerity bis tribute of admiration Tor Oar
wins genius aud Industry ami confessias IN s'Sh ~
As to the question of tne origin az species, thnk