Some species of fresh-water shells have very wide ranges, and allied species which, on our theory, are descended from a common parent, and must have proceeded from a single source, prevail throughout the world.

Their distribution at first perplexed me much, as their ova are not likely to be transported by birds; and the ova, as well as the adults, are immediately killed by sea-water.

I could not even understand how some naturalised species have spread rapidly throughout the same country.

But two facts, which I have observed--and many others no doubt will be discovered--throw some light on this subject.