WCP3872

[1]

Waldron Edge, Duppas Hill, Croydon.

Feb[ruar]^y. 22nd. 1879

Dear Sir

Will you be so good as to give me your opinion on the following question: Are coloured fruits more abundant in tropical, and especially Equatorial,— or in temperate countries?

My own impression is that they are far less plentiful. I never remember being attracted by them at all in proportion to the variety of plants, or any thing like so much as [cross-out, illeg.] the fruits of our hollies, hawthorns, roses, crabs &c. attract the eye with us. Your immense experience and knowledge of the floras of Equatorial lands will not doubt enable you to form a tolerably definitive opinion [2] on the point. It is of interest to me in connection with the colours of animals through the colour sense. Mr. Grant Allen¹ connects the brilliant colours of tropical animals—with the brilliant colours of the fruits the feed on; I think he is quite wrong in this.

I do not want anything more than the general impression you have formed. Statistics are out of the question. In the British Flora however, I find there are, as near as I can estimate, 62 bright col[oure]^d. fruits, of which 33 are red—24 black—3 yellow and 2 white—

Hoping to have an answer as soon as convenient, and apologising for the trouble it may give you[.]

I remain | dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

G. Bentham, Esq. F.R.S.²