WCP3894

[1]

22 Harmood St.

Haverstock Hill, N.W.

21 May [1863]¹

My Dear D^r Hooker

I should very much like to hear the anniversary address of Mr Bentham,² but I don't care much about the dinner afterwards besides it is especially mentioned in the advertisement as for "members".³

The looseness of my remarks has led you to suppose that with regard to what Wallace said of plants alone being able to furnish data for [2] such a paper as your Arctic one, I contended against plants, but I meant to say that we did not know at present whether insects could not furnish equally good data, no attempt having yet been made, & in fact no attempt can be made, as insects have not yet been collected with such care in noting localities & ranges as plants. Wallace seems to think that upon the whole, insects are not good subjects for such investigation but I believe they will turn out the very best subjects. As to your paper, I think the ["the" written over "your"] case is proved to demonstration by plants [3] & I understand the clinching[?] force of your illustration of Greenland quite well.

As to the most divergent varieties of ^variable species being found on the confines of its area ^{(vertical and horizontal)} ; I should think in the majority of cases it is so; but there are some striking exceptions; for instance a large number of European insects furnis<h> very divergent varieties in Corsica & Sardinia whilst their normal forms range around the Mediterranean. À priori we might say that local varieties are form<ed> [4] according to changes in the condition of life (organic & inorganic) of their respective species & ^as their conditions do not ^always graduate off from the centre to circumference of the areas, especially when isolated spots (islands or areas of land) occur within the area, therefore varieties would not graduate off. The point is not of much importance as the same principle of divergence of varieties is shown whether in both events.

I have taken note of what you say regarding publishing original articles; but I have engaged to write one on a given subject in the Nat[ural]. Hist[ory]. Rev[iew].⁴ & do not see how I can get off this time, I will make it however as much a review of the present literature on the question as possible.

Yours sincerely | H W Bates [signature]