What sea slug is known to emit a purplish-red fluid and an acrid secretion as a defense mechanism?
- Aplysia
- Doris
- Fucus
- Virgularia
Correct Answer: Aplysia
Correct Answer Explanation: Aplysia, a sea-slug common in St. Jago, feeds on seaweed and possesses a defense mechanism of emitting a purplish-red fluid and an acrid secretion.
What remarkable ability does the octopus, or cuttlefish, exhibit?
- It can produce bioluminescence.
- It can change color according to its surroundings.
- It can regenerate lost limbs.
- It can mimic the sounds of other animals.
Correct Answer: It can change color according to its surroundings.
Correct Answer Explanation: Octopus, or cuttlefish, exhibits a remarkable ability to change color according to their surroundings, using minute vesicles containing colored fluids.
What unusual feature distinguishes St. Paul’s Rocks from other volcanic islands?
- Its volcanic composition
- Its white color
- Its lack of plant life
- Its abundance of marine life
Correct Answer: Its white color
Correct Answer Explanation: This small island cluster, located far from continents, is unusual in its non-volcanic composition. Its white color is attributed to seabird dung and a pearly coating formed from rain and dung.
What are the first inhabitants of newly formed oceanic lands?
- Palm trees
- Insects and spiders
- Birds
- Marine mammals
Correct Answer: Insects and spiders
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that insects and spiders, not palm trees, are the first inhabitants of newly formed oceanic lands.
What simple creatures resemble slugs and demonstrate remarkable regenerative abilities?
- Terrestrial Planariæ
- Aplysia
- Doris
- Fucus
Correct Answer: Terrestrial Planariæ
Correct Answer Explanation: These simple creatures, resembling slugs, inhabit damp environments and demonstrate remarkable regenerative abilities.
Which species of bat is known to attack and bite horses?
- Desmodus d’orbignyi, the vampire bat
- Tadarida brasiliensis
- Myotis lucifugus
- Molossus molossus
Correct Answer: Desmodus d’orbignyi, the vampire bat
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin confirmed that Desmodus d’orbignyi, the vampire bat, attacks and bites horses, causing inflammation around the wound.
What is the average yield of coffee per year for a coffee tree in Brazil?
- 1 pound
- 2 pounds
- 5 pounds
- 8 pounds
Correct Answer: 2 pounds
Correct Answer Explanation: A coffee tree in Brazil can yield an average of 2 pounds of coffee per year, with some yielding as much as 8 pounds.
What part of the Mandioca plant is not useful?
- Leaves
- Stalks
- Roots
- Flowers
Correct Answer: Flowers
Correct Answer Explanation: This plant’s leaves, stalks, and roots are all useful, providing food and fodder for animals.
How high can conical ant nests in Brazil reach?
- 6 feet
- 12 feet
- 18 feet
- 24 feet
Correct Answer: 12 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: Conical ant nests in Brazil can reach a height of nearly 12 feet, resembling mud volcanoes.
What remarkable bravery do small ants display?
- They will attack objects that impede their path, even when an alternate route is available.
- They will sacrifice themselves to protect their colony.
- They will travel long distances to find food.
- They will cooperate to build complex structures.
Correct Answer: They will attack objects that impede their path, even when an alternate route is available.
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed small ants displaying remarkable bravery in defending their territory, attacking objects that impede their path even when an alternate route is available.
What do wasps use to paralyze spiders and caterpillars?
- Venom
- Their mandibles
- Their legs
- A sticky substance
Correct Answer: Venom
Correct Answer Explanation: Wasps sting spiders and caterpillars to paralyze them, ensuring a living food supply for their larvae.
Which species of spider is known for its unique web design?
- Epeira spiders
- Araneus spiders
- Lycosa spiders
- Pholcus spiders
Correct Answer: Epeira spiders
Correct Answer Explanation: Different species of Epeira spiders display unique web designs, including zigzag ribbons and wedge-shaped segments.
What type of lifestyle do large black spiders with ruby-colored markings exhibit?
- Solitary
- Gregarious
- Nocturnal
- Carnivorous
Correct Answer: Gregarious
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that large black spiders with ruby-colored markings exhibit a gregarious lifestyle, constructing webs connected by shared lines.
What unusual behavior do deer (Cervus campestris) in Banda Oriental exhibit?
- They are unusually tame and inquisitive.
- They are known to attack humans.
- They are excellent swimmers.
- They are highly territorial.
Correct Answer: They are unusually tame and inquisitive.
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that deer (Cervus campestris) in Banda Oriental are unusually tame and inquisitive, often approaching humans on foot.
What is the likely reason for the strong and persistent odor of male deer?
- To mark their territory
- To attract mates
- To camouflage themselves
- To deter predators
Correct Answer: To attract mates
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that male deer possess an exceptionally strong and persistent odor, likely most potent during the rutting season.
What is the largest rodent in the world?
- The capybara
- The beaver
- The marmot
- The pika
Correct Answer: The capybara
Correct Answer Explanation: The world’s largest rodent, the capybara, is an aquatic herbivore with a distinctive grunt-like call.
What is a distinctive characteristic of the tucutuco?
- It resembles a mole.
- It is often found blind.
- It is highly social.
- It is an excellent climber.
Correct Answer: It is often found blind.
Correct Answer Explanation: This burrowing rodent resembles a mole and is often found blind, suggesting adaptation to its subterranean lifestyle.
What type of parasitism does the molothrus exhibit?
- It steals food from other birds.
- It lays its eggs in other birds’ nests.
- It builds its nest in other birds’ nests.
- It preys on other birds’ young.
Correct Answer: It lays its eggs in other birds’ nests.
Correct Answer Explanation: This bird, similar to a starling, exhibits cuckoo-like parasitism, depositing its eggs in other birds’ nests.
What is the classification of the caracara, despite its scavenging behavior?
- A hawk
- An eagle
- A vulture
- A falcon
Correct Answer: An eagle
Correct Answer Explanation: This bird, though classified as an eagle, exhibits vulture-like scavenging behavior.
What are lightning strikes in sandy areas known to create?
- Vitrified siliceous tubes, known as fulgurites
- Lightning bolts
- Thunderstorms
- Fires
Correct Answer: Vitrified siliceous tubes, known as fulgurites
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that lightning strikes in sandy areas can create vitrified siliceous tubes, known as fulgurites, resembling vegetable stalks.
What is the Rio Plata region prone to?
- Intense thunderstorms
- Earthquakes
- Volcanic eruptions
- Floods
Correct Answer: Intense thunderstorms
Correct Answer Explanation: The Rio Plata region is prone to intense thunderstorms, with numerous reports of ships, churches, and houses being struck by lightning.
What is a significant source of salt in Patagonia?
- Salt lakes, or salinas
- Salt mines
- Salt marshes
- Seawater evaporation ponds
Correct Answer: Salt lakes, or salinas
Correct Answer Explanation: Salt lakes, or salinas, in Patagonia are significant sources of salt, supporting a unique ecosystem of brine-tolerant creatures, including flamingoes and worms.
What is the tree that Indians of Patagonia revere as a sacred altar to their deity, Walleechu?
- An ombu tree
- A quebracho tree
- A carob tree
- A eucalyptus tree
Correct Answer: An ombu tree
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that Indians of Patagonia revere a particular tree as a sacred altar to their deity, Walleechu.
What is the name of the large rodent that resembles a hare and is common in the arid plains of Patagonia?
- The agouti
- The pika
- The marmot
- The chinchilla
Correct Answer: The agouti
Correct Answer Explanation: This large rodent, resembling a hare, is common in the arid plains of Patagonia, feeding on roots and vegetation.
Who is a prominent figure in Argentine politics described as a charismatic and powerful leader?
- General Rosas
- Juan Manuel de Rosas
- José de San Martín
- Domingo Faustino Sarmiento
Correct Answer: General Rosas
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin described General Rosas as a prominent figure in Argentine politics, a charismatic and powerful leader who uses his influence to shape the country’s future.
What type of conflict is described between the Argentine government and indigenous tribes?
- A peaceful negotiation
- A trade agreement
- A brutal war of extermination
- A religious conflict
Correct Answer: A brutal war of extermination
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin described the ongoing conflict between the Argentine government and indigenous tribes as a brutal war of extermination, with horrific accounts of massacres and betrayals.
How many slave families did a Fazenda in Brazil own?
- 10
- 20
- 30
- 40
Correct Answer: 30
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that a Fazenda in Brazil owned 30 slave families.
How many fold did a single bag of beans yield?
- 80
- 160
- 240
- 320
Correct Answer: 80
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that a single bag of beans yielded 80-fold, while a bag of rice yielded 320-fold.
How many hours per day can horses in Brazil endure riding?
- 5
- 8
- 10
- 12
Correct Answer: 10
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that horses in Brazil can endure up to 10 hours of riding per day.
How many different species of terrestrial Planariæ did Darwin collect in the southern hemisphere?
- 5
- 12
- 18
- 24
Correct Answer: 12
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin collected 12 different species of terrestrial Planariæ in the southern hemisphere.
How many species of beetles did Darwin collect in a single day?
- 38
- 58
- 68
- 78
Correct Answer: 68
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented collecting 68 species of beetles in a single day.
How many species of Arachnids did Darwin collect?
- 17
- 27
- 37
- 47
Correct Answer: 37
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin collected 37 species of Arachnids, highlighting the abundance of spiders in the tropics.
How much did a capybara shot by Darwin weigh?
- 78 pounds
- 88 pounds
- 98 pounds
- 108 pounds
Correct Answer: 98 pounds
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that a capybara shot by him weighed 98 pounds.
How many tucutucos did a man catch together in a single instance?
- 4
- 6
- 8
- 10
Correct Answer: 6
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented a man catching 6 tucutucos together in a single instance.
How many partridges did a boy on horseback catch in a single day?
- 10-20
- 20-30
- 30-40
- 40-50
Correct Answer: 30-40
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that a boy on horseback caught 30-40 partridges in a single day with a lazo.
How many beasts were in a herd of cattle at Don Juan Fuentes’s estancia?
- 1
- 3
- 5
- 7
Correct Answer: 3
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that a herd of cattle at Don Juan Fuentes’s estancia consisted of 3 beasts.
What is the typical diameter of the noose of a lazo?
- 4 feet
- 6 feet
- 8 feet
- 10 feet
Correct Answer: 8 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: The noose of a lazo is typically 8 feet in diameter.
How many eggs can a single ostrich nest contain?
- 12-17
- 17-22
- 22-27
- 27-32
Correct Answer: 22-27
Correct Answer Explanation: A single ostrich nest can contain 22-27 eggs, equalling the weight of 297 hens’ eggs.
How big did hailstones reach during a storm in Patagonia?
- The size of marbles
- The size of golf balls
- The size of small apples
- The size of oranges
Correct Answer: The size of small apples
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that hailstones during a storm in Patagonia reached the size of small apples.
How many deer did a single man kill in a single day after a hailstorm?
- 8
- 10
- 13
- 15
Correct Answer: 13
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that a single man killed 13 deer in a single day after a hailstorm.
What was the wingspan of a condor shot by Darwin?
- 6.5 feet
- 7.5 feet
- 8.5 feet
- 9.5 feet
Correct Answer: 8.5 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that a condor shot by him had a wingspan of 8.5 feet.
How many large white eggs does a condor lay on bare rock shelves?
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Correct Answer: 2
Correct Answer Explanation: A condor lays 2 large white eggs on bare rock shelves.
How many condors did Darwin observe at a cliff?
- 5-10
- 10-15
- 15-20
- 20-30
Correct Answer: 20-30
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed a flock of 20-30 condors at a cliff.
How many head of cattle did the province of Buenos Ayres alone lose during a severe drought?
- 500,000
- 750,000
- 1,000,000
- 1,250,000
Correct Answer: 1,000,000
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that the province of Buenos Ayres alone lost an estimated 1 million head of cattle during a severe drought.
How many horses did an officer lose while driving them across the plains?
- 380
- 480
- 580
- 680
Correct Answer: 480
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented an officer losing 480 out of 500 horses while driving them across the plains.
How much were mare hides worth?
- 1 paper dollar
- 3 paper dollars
- 5 paper dollars
- 7 paper dollars
Correct Answer: 5 paper dollars
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that mares were slaughtered for their hides, which were worth only 5 paper dollars.
How many head of cattle did a typical estancia in Banda Oriental own?
- 1000
- 2000
- 3000
- 4000
Correct Answer: 3000
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that a typical estancia in Banda Oriental owned 3000 head of cattle.
How many square leagues did an estancia near Colonia del Sacramiento cover?
- 1.5
- 2.5
- 3.5
- 4.5
Correct Answer: 2.5
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed an estancia near Colonia del Sacramiento covering 2.5 square leagues.
How many square leagues did General Rosas’s estancia span?
- 34
- 54
- 74
- 94
Correct Answer: 74
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that General Rosas owned a massive estancia spanning 74 square leagues.
How many years did the “gran seco” drought last?
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Correct Answer: 3
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that the drought lasted for 3 years, from 1827-1830.
How many islands are there in the Parana River?
- 100
- 200
- 300
- 400
Correct Answer: Many
Correct Answer Explanation: The Parana River is full of islands, which constantly form and decay.
How many inches longer is the lower mandible of the scissor-beak bird than the upper mandible?
- 1 inch
- 1.5 inches
- 2 inches
- 2.5 inches
Correct Answer: 1.5 inches
Correct Answer Explanation: The lower mandible of the scissor-beak bird is 1.5 inches longer than the upper mandible.
How many parrots were killed near Colonia in a single year?
- 1500
- 2000
- 2500
- 3000
Correct Answer: 2500
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that near Colonia, 2500 parrots were killed in a single year.
How tall can the Pampas thistle reach?
- Taller than a rider’s head
- Taller than a horse
- Taller than a house
- Taller than a tree
Correct Answer: Taller than a rider’s head
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that the Pampas thistle can reach a height taller than a rider’s head.
How many leagues did an estancia near Las Vacas cover?
- 5
- 7
- 10
- 12
Correct Answer: 10
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed an estancia near Las Vacas covering 10 leagues.
How many deer, ostriches, armadilloes, and partridges were at a posta near the Sierra Tapalguen?
- 5 deer, 2 ostriches, 5 armadilloes, 10 partridges
- 7 deer, 3 ostriches, 5 armadilloes, 10 partridges
- 7 deer, 3 ostriches, many armadilloes and partridges
- 9 deer, 4 ostriches, 5 armadilloes, 10 partridges
Correct Answer: 7 deer, 3 ostriches, many armadilloes and partridges
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that a posta near the Sierra Tapalguen held 7 deer, 3 ostriches, and many armadilloes and partridges.
What was the population of St. Fé Bajada in 1825?
- 3000
- 4000
- 5000
- 6000
Correct Answer: 6000
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that in 1825, St. Fé Bajada had 6000 inhabitants, and the province had 30,000.
What is the thickness of the Patagonian Tertiary Formation?
- 500 feet
- 600 feet
- 700 feet
- 800 feet
Correct Answer: 800 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that the white beds of Patagonia reach a thickness of 800 feet.
How many miles does the Patagonian gravel bed extend for?
- 400-500
- 500-600
- 600-700
- 700-800
Correct Answer: 600-700
Correct Answer Explanation: The gravel bed extends for 600-700 miles, with an average breadth of 200 miles and an average thickness of 50 feet.
How wide was the Santa Cruz River at its widest point?
- 100-200 yards
- 200-300 yards
- 300-400 yards
- 400-500 yards
Correct Answer: 300-400 yards
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that the river was 300-400 yards wide and 17 feet deep at its deepest point.
What was the thickness of the basaltic platform along the Santa Cruz River at its beginning?
- 80 feet
- 120 feet
- 160 feet
- 200 feet
Correct Answer: 120 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that the basaltic platform along the Santa Cruz River was 120 feet thick at its beginning and 320 feet thick 40 miles further upriver.
How far was an erratic boulder found along the Santa Cruz from the nearest mountain?
- 47 miles
- 57 miles
- 67 miles
- 77 miles
Correct Answer: 67 miles
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin encountered a massive erratic boulder, transported a considerable distance by glacial activity, serving as evidence for the power of glacial forces.
How long did Darwin’s expedition up the Santa Cruz River last?
- 11 days
- 16 days
- 21 days
- 26 days
Correct Answer: 21 days
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that his expedition up the Santa Cruz River lasted 21 days.
What is the approximate size of the Falkland Islands?
- Slightly larger than Ireland
- Slightly smaller than Ireland
- Slightly larger than Great Britain
- Slightly smaller than Great Britain
Correct Answer: Slightly over half the size of Ireland
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that the archipelago covers 120 miles by 60 miles, slightly over half the size of Ireland.
How tall is the main hill range in the Falkland Islands?
- 1000 feet
- 1500 feet
- 2000 feet
- 2500 feet
Correct Answer: 2000 feet
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that the main hill range is nearly 2000 feet tall.
How much does the hide of an average-sized bull weigh?
- 37 pounds
- 42 pounds
- 47 pounds
- 52 pounds
Correct Answer: 47 pounds
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that the hide of an average-sized bull weighs 47 pounds.
What is the maximum weight of a steamer, or loggerheaded duck?
- 12 pounds
- 17 pounds
- 22 pounds
- 27 pounds
Correct Answer: 22 pounds
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin documented that the steamer, or loggerheaded duck, can weigh up to 22 pounds.
How many eggs can a large white Doris sea-slug contain?
- 300,000
- 400,000
- 500,000
- 600,000
Correct Answer: 600,000
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin observed that a large white Doris sea-slug can contain up to 600,000 eggs.
How many years has the Fuegian canoe remained unchanged, demonstrating the limitations of their technology?
- 150 years
- 200 years
- 250 years
- 300 years
Correct Answer: 250 years
Correct Answer Explanation: Darwin noted that the Fuegian canoe has remained unchanged for the past 250 years, demonstrating the limitations of their technology.