WCP1598

[1]

Königliches

Zoologisches und Anthropologisch-¹

Ethnographisches Museum.

Dresden, den 6. Nov[ember] 1892

Dear Dr. Wallace,

It is only today I came across a passage in your admirable "Darwinism" (first ed[ition]. 1889 p[age] 262) concerning Callophis[?]² which is quite erroneous. The [illeg.] makes are not one poisonous the[?] other harmless, both are poisonous, the one very much so, the other less. [MS blotted for 3 lines]

I beg you to propose[?] you to alter this passage in a new edition in the following [illeg.] ^{in a} [illeg.] way:

D.A.B. Meyer³ has also discovered that, "while some species of the genus Callophis belonging to the same family⁴ as the American Elapo[?], but later separated as Adeniophis[?]⁵/ have [MS blotted] ^very large poison glands within the [MS blotted] canal ^body-cavity [MS blotted], other species of the same genus have only the usual small ones [2] in the cheeks; and that one of the latter resembles some[?] of the former with the large glands so closely, had only an exact compassion will discover the difference of colour &[?] marking: Callophis gracilis from Penang, Singapore and Sumatra resembles Adeniophis[sic?] Callophis [illeg.] from Sumatra and Callophis malayanus from Penang and Singapore, the two latter having the large glands. A counter[?] fluid of resemblance[?] exists between other species with the large glands and less poisonous species, [illeg.]. between Callophis philippinus and Hemibungarus calligaster from Japan[?] and [illeg.] and between Callophis birvigatus from Java, C[allophis]. tetrataenia[?] from Borneo, C[allophis]. flaviceps from Sumatra on the one hand and Megarophis flaviceps from Java, Borneo and Sumatra on the other. Meyer supposes that perhaps the snakes with the large poisonous glands ^{may be} are [illeg.] taste[?] and full of obnoxious to birds ^{and animals feeding upon snakes}, are rejected ^avoided and that in cow[?] sequence, the least[?] poisonous, but closely [3] similar [MS blotted] ^species[?], the uninviting outs[?],are likewise spared."

I sent[?] by book post a paper on this question which someone will be able to [illeg.] to you.

The longer I live the more I appreciate & admire your life work, not only your habits[?], but even more the [illeg.] your of your philosophy. A short time ago I corresponded with Prof[essor] E. du Bois Reymond⁶ of Berlin, the eminent[?] [illeg.], on sexual selection, which he advocated, whereas I am a wrong[?] opposer[?]. I have entirely your view, that the "direct evidence for female selection is not "(l[?].c[?].b[?] 295), whereas the named naturalist which to the nonsense of Poullon, Peckham & others. The opposer to your opinion of the origin of the ornamental feathers of birds of Paradise (p[age]. 292) & in this respect I am of his advice, it appears to me impossible on physiological reasons that these feathers can have originated in this way.

Hoping that you are in good health | I remain ever yours faithfully | A B Meyer [signature]