Darwin arrived in the Galapagos in September 1835 aboard the ship HMS Beagle and stayed there for five weeks. He studied the local fauna and collected many specimens, but did not recognize their uniqueness. It was not until he was in London that John Gould, an English ornithologist, drew his attention to the variety of birds now known as Darwin's finches.
From this voyage, which took place before he formulated the theory of evolution, Darwin brought back specimens of 186 species (97 of which were previously unknown), as well as detailed geological descriptions of the islands, which he compiled.
It was not until later that Darwin realized the value of his ornithological collection in relation to his theory of evolution. Based on his observations, he concluded that these birds had a common ancestor, but because they lived on different islands, they evolved into separate species.
The name "Darwin's finches" was not popularized until 1947 by ornithologist David Lack.