WCP1876

Letter (WCP1876.4057)

[1]1

9, St. Mark’s Crescent N.W

March 11th. [1867]2

Dear Darwin

I return your queries3 but can not answer them with any certainty. For the Malays I should say Yes. to 1. 3. 8. 9. 10. & 17. and No. to 12. 13. and 16. but I cannot be certain in any one. But do you think these things are of much importance? I am inclined to think that if you could get good direct observations you would find these some of them often differ from tribe to tribe, from island to island and sometimes from village to village. Some no doubt [2] may be deep-seated, and would imply organic differences but can you tell beforehand which these are. I presume the Frenchman shrugs his shoulders whether he is of the Norman[,] Breton or Gaulish stock. Would it not be a good thing to send your List of queries to some of the Bombay [Mumbai] & Calcutta [Kolkata] papers as there must be numbers of Indian judges & other officers who would be interested & would send you hosts of replies.

The Australian papers & N.[ew] Zealand might also publish them & [3] then you would have a fine basis to go on.

Is your essay on Variation in Man4 to be a supplement to your volume on Domesticated Animals & cultivated Plants5? I would rather see your second volume on "The Struggle for Existence &c."6 for I doubt if we have a sufficiency of fair & accurate facts to do any thing with Man. Huxley7 I believe is at work upon it.

I have been reading Murray’s8 volume on Geog[raphical]. Dist[ribution]. of Mammals9. He has some good ideas here and there but is quite unable to understand Natural Selection, and makes a most [4] absurd mess of his criticism of your views on Oceanic Islands10.

By the bye what an interesting volume the whole of your materials on that subject would I am sure make11.

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

P.S. I mentioned the Catterpillar question12 at the Ent[omological]. Soc[iety]. on Monday13 & think we shall have observations made this summer. Many members seemed to think that known facts favoured my view.

Larvae of Cucullia verbasci &c. often swarm for sp[ecies]. of verbascum are very showy and conspicuous and never seem to be eaten by birds. The larvae of Callimorpha jacobeae, are a similar case.

ARW. [signature]

1

There are lines in blue crayon and pencil marking certain passages of

text by Charles Darwin. See Darwin Correspondence Project <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-5437.xml> [accessed 5 October 2020].

2
The year is established by Marchant, J. (Ed.). 1916. Alfred Russel Wallace; Letters and Reminiscences, 1. London, New York, Toronto & Melbourne: Cassell & Co., Ltd.
3
The list of queries has not been found. See Darwin Correspondence Project <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-5437.xml> [accessed 11 September 2020].
4
Darwin's "essay on Variation in Man" was ultimately published as a book. See Darwin, C. 1871. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray.
5
Darwin, C. 1868. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication. London: John Murray.
6
Darwin had planned to publish three sets of volumes following up on key aspects of On the Origin of Species. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication was the first of these volumes. The other two were never realized. See Costa. J. T. 2009. The Annotated Origin: A Facsimile of the First Edition of On the Origin of Species. Cambridge MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. [p. xviii].
7
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist and author, known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
8
Murray, Andrew Dickson (1812-1878). British lawyer, entomologist and botanist.
9
Murray, A. D. 1866. The Geographical Distribution of Mammals. London: Day and Son, Ltd.
10
Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. London, UK: John Murray. [pp. 388-406].
11
Darwin never published a volume on the biogeography of oceanic islands, but ARW treated this subject in 1880. See Wallace, A. R. 1880. Island Life: Or, The Phenomena and Causes of Insular Faunas and Floras, Including a Revision and Attempted Solution of the Problem of Geological Climates. London: Macmillan & Co.
12
At H. W. Bates' suggestion, Darwin asked ARW for an explanation of bright coloration in caterpillars. ARW thus originated the concept of aposematism (warning coloration). See WCP1875.1765, Darwin to ARW, 26 February 1867.
13
For ARW's explanation of brilliant colors in caterpillar larvae presented at the ESL meeting of 4 March 1867, see Journal of Proceedings of the Entomological Society of London, 1867: lxxx-lxxxi.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP1876.4057)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Darwin Correspondence Project [2012-07-02] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15] Transcription checked by Costa, Leslie [2021-10-13]

Transcription (WCP1876.1766)

[1]

To C. Darwin.) 9, St. Mark's Crescent, N.W. March 11th1 [1867]2

Dear Darwin I return your queries3 but can not answer them with any certanty [sic]. For the Malays I should say Yes. to 1, 3, 8. 9. 10. & 17. and No. to 12. 13. and 16. but I cannot be certain in any one. But do you think these things are of much importance? I am inclined to think that if you could get good direct observations you would find some of them often differ from tribe to tribe, from island to island, and sometimes from village to village. Some no doubt may be deep-seseated, and would imply organic differences but can you tell beforehand which these are. I presume the Frenchman shrugs his shoulders whether he is of the Norman[,] Breton or Gaulish stock. Would it not be a good thing to send your List of Queries to some of the Bombay [Mumbai] & Calcutta[Kolkata] papers as there must be numbers of Indian judges & other officers who would be interested & would send you hosts of replies. The Australian papers & N[ew]. Zealand might also publish them & — — — — — —4

[2] [p. 2] To C. Darwin.) Last page of a letter (?)18675

…..... .then you would have a fine basis to go on.

Is your essay on Variation in Man6 to be a suuplement [sic] to your volume on Domesticated Animals & cultivated Plants7? I would rather see your second volume on "The Struggle for Existence &c."8 for I doubt if we have a sufficiency of fair & accurate facts to do anything with man. Huxley9 I believe is at work upon it.

I have been reading Murray's10 volume on Geog[raphical]. Dist[ribution]. of Mammals11. He has some good ideas here and there but is quite unable to understand Natural Selection, and makes a most absurd mess of his crit criticism of your views on Oceanic Islands12.

By the bye what an interesting volume the whole of your materials on that subject would I am sure make13.

Yours very sincerely Alfred R. Wallace.

1
An annotation after "March 11th." reads "(1867)".
2
The year is established by Marchant, J. (Ed.). 1916. Alfred Russel Wallace; Letters and Reminiscences, 1. London, New York, Toronto & Melbourne: Cassell & Co., Ltd.
3
The list of queries has not been found. See Darwin Correspondence Project <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-5437.xml> [accessed 11 September 2020].
4
An annotation after the text on this page reads "(you would have a fine basis to go on.)"
5
An annotation in pencil in the top right margin reads "March 11".
6
Darwin's "essay on Variation in Man" was ultimately published as a book. See Darwin, C. 1871. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray.
7
Darwin, C. 1868. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication. London: John Murray.
8
Darwin had planned to publish three sets of volumes following up on key aspects of On the Origin of Species. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication was the first of these volumes. The other two were never realized. See Costa. J. T. 2009. The Annotated Origin: A Facsimile of the First Edition of On the Origin of Species. Cambridge MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. [p. xviii].
9
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist and author, known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
10
Murray, Andrew Dickson (1812-1878). British lawyer, entomologist and botanist.
11
Murray, A. D. 1866. The Geographical Distribution of Mammals. London: Day and Son, Ltd.
12
Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. London, UK: John Murray. [pp. 388-406].
13
Darwin never published a volume on the biogeography of oceanic islands, but ARW treated this subject in 1880. See Wallace, A. R. 1880. Island Life: Or, The Phenomena and Causes of Insular Faunas and Floras, Including a Revision and Attempted Solution of the Problem of Geological Climates. London: Macmillan & Co.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1876.1766)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17] Transcription checked by Costa, Leslie [2021-10-13]

Transcription (WCP1876.4520)

[1] [p.1]

To C. Darwin.) 9, St. Mark’s Crescent, N.W. March 11th. [1867]1

Dear Darwin I return your queries2 but can not answer them with any certanty [sic]. For the Malays I should say Yes. to 1, 3, 8. 9. 10. & 17. and No. to 12. 13. and 16. but it cannot be certain in any one. But do you think these things are of much importance? I am inclined to think that if you could get good direct observations you would find some of them often differ from tribe to tribe, from island to island and sometimes from village to village. Some no doubt may be deep-seseated, and would imply organic differences but can you tell beforehand which these are. I presume the Frenchman shrugs his shoulders whether he is of the Norman[,] Breton or Gaulish stock. Would it not be a good thing to send your List of Queries to some of the Bombay [Mumbai] & Calcutta [Kolkata] papers as there must be numbers of Indian judges & other officers who would be interested & would send you hosts of replies. The Australian papers & N[ew]. Zealand might also publish them & — — — — — —3

[2] [p. 2] To C. Darwin.) Last page of a letter (?)18674

…..... .then you would have a fine basis to go on.

Is your essay on Variation in Man5 to be a suuplement [sic] to your volume on Domesticated Animals & cultivated Plants6? I would rather see your second volume on "The Struggle for Existence &c."7 for I doubt if we have a sufficiency of fair & accurate facts to do anything with man. Huxley8 I believe is at work upon it.

I have been reading Murray’s9 volume on Geog[raphical] Dist[ribution] of Mammals10. He has some good ideas here and there but is quite unable to understand Natural Selection, and makes a most absurd mess of his crit criticism of your views on Oceanic Islands11.

By the bye what an interesting volume the whole of your materials on that subject would I am sure make12.

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace.

1
The year is established by Marchant, J. (Ed.). 1916. Alfred Russel Wallace; Letters and Reminiscences, 1. London, New York, Toronto & Melbourne: Cassell & Co., Ltd.
2
The list of queries has not been found. See Darwin Correspondence Project <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-5437.xml> [accessed 11 September 2020].
3
An annotation after the text on this page reads "(you would have a fine basis to go on.)"
4
An annotation in pencil in the top right margin reads "March 11".
5
Darwin's "essay on Variation in Man" was ultimately published as a book. See Darwin, C. 1871. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray.
6
Darwin, C. 1868. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication. London: John Murray.
7
Darwin had planned to publish three sets of volumes following up on key aspects of On the Origin of Species. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication was the first of these volumes. The other two were never realized. See Costa. J. T. 2009. The Annotated Origin: A Facsimile of the First Edition of On the Origin of Species. Cambridge MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. [p. xviii].
8
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist and author, known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
9
Murray, Andrew Dickson (1812-1878). British lawyer, entomologist and botanist.
10
Murray, A. D. 1866. The Geographical Distribution of Mammals. London: Day and Son, Ltd.
11
Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. London, UK: John Murray. [pp. 388-406].
12
Darwin never published a volume on the biogeography of oceanic islands, but ARW treated this subject in 1880. See Wallace, A. R. 1880. Island Life: Or, The Phenomena and Causes of Insular Faunas and Floras, Including a Revision and Attempted Solution of the Problem of Geological Climates. London: Macmillan & Co.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Transcription (WCP1876.4520)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Watkins Sophia [2012-08-17] Transcription checked by Catchpole, Caroline [2013-01-15] Transcription checked by Costa, Leslie [2021-10-13]

Published letter (WCP1876.5959)

[]

[1] [p. 180]

9 St. Mark's Crescent, N.W. March 11, 1867.

Dear Darwin, — I return your queries1, but cannot answer them with any certainty. For the Malays I should say Yes to 1, 3, 8, 9, 10 and 17, and No to 12, 13 and 16; but I cannot be certain in any one. But do you think these things are of much importance? I am inclined to think that if you could get good direct observations you would find some of them often differ from tribe to tribe, from island to island, and sometimes from village to village. Some no doubt may be deep seated, and would imply organic differences; but can you tell beforehand which these are? I presume the Frenchman shrugs his shoulders whether he is of the Norman, Breton, or Gaulish stock. Would it not be a good thing to send your List of Queries to some of the Bombay [Mumbai] and Calcutta [Kolkata] papers? as there must be numbers of Indian judges and other officers who would be interested and would send you hosts of replies. The [2] [p. 181] Australian papers and New Zealand might also publish them, and then you would have a fine basis to go on.

Is your essay on Variation in Man2 to be a supplement to your volume on Domesticated Animals and Cultivated Plants3? I would rather see your second volume on "The Struggle for Existence, etc.,"4 for I doubt if we have a sufficiency of fair and accurate facts to do anything with man. Huxley5, I believe, is at work upon it.

I have been reading Murray's6 volume on the Geographical Distribution of Mammals7. He has some good ideas here and there, but is quite unable to understand Natural Selection, and makes a most absurd mess of his criticism of your views on oceanic islands8.

By the bye, what an interesting volume the whole of your materials on that subject would, I am sure, make9. — Yours very sincerely, ALFRED R. WALLACE.

1
The list of queries has not been found. See Darwin Correspondence Project <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-5437.xml> [accessed 11 September 2020].
2
Darwin's "essay on Variation in Man" was ultimately published as a book. See Darwin, C. 1871. The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. London: John Murray.
3
Darwin, C. 1868. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication. London: John Murray.
4
Darwin had planned to publish three sets of volumes following up on key aspects of On the Origin of Species. The Variation of Animals and Plants Under Domestication was the first of these volumes. The other two were never realized. See Costa. J. T. 2009. The Annotated Origin: A Facsimile of the First Edition of On the Origin of Species. Cambridge MA: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. [p. xviii].
5
Huxley, Thomas Henry (1825-1895). British biologist and author, known as "Darwin's Bulldog".
6
Murray, Andrew Dickson (1812-1878). British lawyer, entomologist and botanist.
7
Murray, A. D. 1866. The Geographical Distribution of Mammals. London: Day and Son, Ltd.
8
Darwin, C. 1859. On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life. London, UK: John Murray. [pp. 388-406].
9
Darwin never published a volume on the biogeography of oceanic islands, but ARW treated this subject in 1880. See Wallace, A. R. 1880. Island Life: Or, The Phenomena and Causes of Insular Faunas and Floras, Including a Revision and Attempted Solution of the Problem of Geological Climates. London: Macmillan & Co.

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Published letter (WCP1876.5959)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Congerton, John [2019-12-17] Transcription checked by Costa, Leslie [2021-10-13]

Please cite as “WCP1876,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 16 January 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1876