no frogs in the Canary Islands (Webb et Berthelot, Hist. Nat. des Iles
Canaries). I saw none at St. Jago in the Cape de Verds. There are
none at St. Helena.
[4] Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xvi. p. 19.
[5] Voyage in the U. S. ship Essex, vol. i. p. 215.
[6] Linn. Trans., vol. xii. p. 496. The most anomalous fact on this
subject which I have met with is the wildness of the small birds in the
Arctic parts of North America (as described by Richardson, Fauna Bor.,
vol. ii. p. 332), where they are said never to be persecuted. This
case is the more strange, because it is asserted that some of the same
species in their winter-quarters in the United States are tame. There
is much, as Dr. Richardson well remarks, utterly inexplicable connected
with the different degrees of shyness and care with which birds conceal
their nests. How strange it is that the English wood-pigeon, generally
so wild a bird, should very frequently rear its young in shrubberies
close to houses!
CHAPTER XVIII
TAHITI AND NEW ZEALAND
Pass through the Low Archipelago--Tahiti--Aspect--Vegetation on the
Mountains--View of Eimeo--Excursion into the Interior--Profound
Ravines--Succession of Waterfalls--Number of wild useful
Plants--Temperance of the Inhabitants--Their moral state--Parliament
convened--New Zealand--Bay of Islands--Hippahs--Excursion to
Waimate--Missionary Establishment--English Weeds now run
wild--Waiomio--Funeral of a New Zealand Woman--Sail for Australia.
OCTOBER 20th.--The survey of the Galapagos Archipelago being concluded,
we steered towards Tahiti and commenced our long passage of 3200 miles.
In the course of a few days we sailed out of the gloomy and clouded
ocean-district which extends during the winter far from the coast of
South America. We then enjoyed bright and clear weather, while running
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