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The primary mission of the Beagle was to map the coastline of southern South America and take oceanographic measurements (currents, bathymetry, etc) as well. Darwin's job as the ship's naturalist was to observe everything, write it all down and collect as many specimens as possible. It was his job to record the weather, geological features, plants, animals, fossils, rocks, minerals, indigenous people and anything else that he saw. It was through this voyage that Darwin's …

…looking at its shell. Those from Hood Island had shells that were thick and turned up in front. Those from James Island had rounder and blacker shells. Darwin also found that the marine lizards and the Galapagos finches differed from island to island. These little islands are no more then sixty miles apart, but they were home to thirteen different species of finches. Each bird had a different beak, which differed in size and shape.