WCP2349

[1]^{1, 2}

Cleveland S[tree]t. Asylum³

Portland R^d. W.

March 6. [18]77

Sir,

I should not have ventured to address you, had I not understood in your preface to Geogr[aphical]. Distrib[ution]. of Animals⁴ that you invited suggestions from readers.

(Vol. I. p. 19) Is not the cause of the Northern or Spring migration of birds being more regular to date than the Autumnal or Southern flight due to the tropical seasons being⁵ [2] more regular than the temperate ones which, notably[?] in the British Isles, are very erratic?

(Vol. I p. 29) — Is it possible fish^—ova enclosed in freshwater ice may be ^{or might have been} carried down rivers and out to sea & then drifted by currents & winds to other rivers and so account for the same species inhabiting distinct river systems? [3]

(This was suggested to me by hearing that the Arctic freshwater pools in Smith Sound⁶ containing fish froze completely and enclosed the fish which must must remain in a torpid state till the summer thaw.)

(p. 31) — Might not some mollusca, as Land shells, be distributed in the same way, for they are many of them very tenacious of life?

I feel sure that the seeds of plants might⁷ [4] be distributed by fresh or saltwater ice to whatever distance the ice travelled, for even corn is not prevented from growing by Arctic winter temperatures.

(Vol. I p.150) — Is the comparatively sudden & recent disappearance of large, fierce, and strange forms of animals due to the appearance of man on the Earth and his destruction of them, amongst other causes?

Apologising for the length of this letter

I remain, Sir | Your obedient S[ervant] | Arthur C. Horner⁸ [signature]