WCP1434

[1]¹

Parkstone, Dorset.²

Feby 3rd.1891.

My dear Mr. Galton,³

Don't you think the time has come for some combined and systematic effort to carry out experiments for the purpose of deciding the two great fundamental but disputed points in organic evolution, —

(1) Whether individually acquired external characters are inherited, and thus form an important factor in the evolution of species, — or whether as you & Weismann⁴argue, and as many of us now believe, they are not so, & we are thus left to depend almost wholly on variation & natural Selection.

(2) What is the amount & character of the sterility that arises when closely allied but permanently distinct species are crossed, and then⁵ 'hybrid' offspring bred together. Whether the amount of infertility differs between the hybrids of species that have presumably arisen in the same area, & those which seem to have arisen in very distinct or distant areas — as oceanic or other islands.

Both these questions can be settled by experiments systematically⁶ carried on for ten or twenty years. The question is how is it to be done. Talking over the matter with Mr. Theo. D. A. Cockerelll,⁷ a very acute & thoughtful young naturalist, we came to the conclusion that a Committee of the British Association⁸ would probably be the best mode of carrying out the experiments, by the aid of a B[ritish].Ass[ociatio]n. grant & a Royal Society⁹ grant, aided perhaps by subscriptions from weatlhy [sic] naturalists. It seems to me that one paid observer giving his whole [2]¹⁰ time to the work could carry out a number of distinct series of experiments at the same time, — and if the Zool[ogical]. Soc[iety].¹¹ would allow some of the experiments to be made with their animals in their gardens much expense would be saved. To be really good however the hybridity experiments ( and others too) would have to be carried out with large numbers of animals, and thus some sort of small experimental farm would be required. Surely some wealthy landlord may be found to give a small tenantless farm for such a purpose. Then, using small animals such as Lepus¹² and Mus¹³ among mammalia some gallinaceous birds and ducks, and also insects, a good deal could be done even on a large scale, at a small cost. On the same farm a corresponding set of plant-experiments could be carried out; and an intelligent well educated gardener or bailiff, with a couple of men or even one, under him, could superintend the whole operations under the written directions and constant supervision of the Committee.

Would you move for such a Committee at the next B[ritish]. Ass[ociation]. Meeting? You are the man to do it both as the original starter of the theory of non-inheritance of acquired variations, the only experimenter on pan-genesis, & the man who has done most in experiment and resulting theory on allied subjects.

We thought first of a separate Society, but I doubt if a new society could be established & supported, whereas a Committee either of the B[ritish]. Ass[ociation]. or of the Royal Society could do the work quite as effectively & would probably receive as much support from persons interested in these problems. It seems to me a sad thing that years [3]¹⁴ should pass away & nothing of this kind be systematically done. I feel sure you would meet with general support if you would propose the enquiry.

Believe me | yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace—

Francis Galton, F.R.S.¹⁵

P.S. It would of course be better still if a fund could be raised sufficient to establish an Institute for experimental enquiry into the fundamental data of biology. This is surely of far higher importance than the anatomical, embryological, & other work for which Plymouth Biological Station¹⁶ was founded.

A.R.W.

[1]¹ [p. 128]

Parkstone, Dorset. February 3, 1891.

My dear Mr. Galton, Don't you think the time has come for some combined and systematic effort to carry out experiments for the purpose of deciding the two great fundamental but disputed points in organic evolution,—

(1) Whether individually acquired external characters are inherited, and thus form an important factor in the evolution of species,—or whether as you & Weismann argue, and as many of us now believe, they are not so, & we are thus left to depend almost wholly on variation & natural selection.

(2) What is the amount and character of the sterility that arises when closely allied but permanently distinct species are crossed, and then "hybrid" offspring bred together. Whether the amount of infertility differs between the hybrids of species that have presumably arisen in the same area, & those which seem to have arisen in very distinct or distant areas—as oceanic or other islands.

[2] [p. 129] Both these questions can be settled by experiments systematically carried on for ten or twenty years. The question is how is it to be done. Talking over the matter with Mr Theo. D. A. Cockerell, a very acute & thoughtful young naturalist, we came to the conclusion that a Committee of the British Association would probably be the best mode of carrying out the experiments, by the aid of a B. Assⁿ. grant & a Royal Society grant, aided perhaps by subscriptions from wealthy naturalists. It seems to me that one paid observer giving his whole time to the work could carry out a number of distinct series of experiments at the same time,—and if the Zool. Soc. would allow some of the experiments to be made with their animals in their gardens much expense would be saved. To be really good however the hybridity experiments (and the others too) would have to be carried out with large numbers of animals, and thus some sort of small experimental farm would be required. Surely some wealthy landlord may be found to give a small tenantless farm for such a purpose. Then, using small animals such as Lepus and Mus among mammalia, some gallinaceous birds and ducks, and also insects, a good deal could be done even on a large scale, at a small cost. On the same farm a corresponding set of plant-experiments could be carried out; and an intelligent well educated gardener or bailiff, with a couple of men, or even one, under him, could superintend the whole operations under the written directions and constant supervision of the Committee.

Would you move for such a Committee at the next B. Assⁿ. Meeting? You are the man to do it both as the original starter of the theory of non-inheritance of acquired variations, the only experimenter on pangenesis, & the man who has done most in experiment and resulting theory on allied subjects.

We thought first of a separate Society, but I doubt if a new society could be established & supported, whereas a Committee either of the B. Assⁿ. or of the Royal Society could do the work quite as effectively & would probably receive as much support from persons interested in these problems. It seems to me a sad thing that years should pass away & nothing of this kind be systematically done. I feel sure you would meet with general support if you would propose the enquiry.

Believe me, Yours very faithfully, Alfred R. Wallace.

Francis Galton, F.R.S.

P.S. It would of course be better still if a fund could be raised sufficient to establish an Institute for experimental Enquiry into the fundamental Data of Biology. This is surely of far higher importance than the anatomical, embryological, & other work for which the Plymouth Biological Station was founded.

A. R. W.