WCP4034

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex

Dec.[embe]^r 6th. 1874

Dear Newton¹

Thanks for your little Manual of Zoology². It seems to me excellent, & a great improvement on usual ‘Zoologies". I think that such a book contains quite as much as should be taught in schools,— and quite ample for any boys to learn. I am almost sorry therefore it is not published in a better form,— better paper, better illustrations, so as to be an attractive book for older school-boys. I am glad you stick to the old sclateran[?] regions. After going carefully through all vertebrates & many important [2] groups of insects, I am convinced that all subsequent proposed alterations are alterations for the worse. The alt[ernative] alterations of ^{the name} make in a "Oriental" instead of a "Indian" Region. This allows as to keep "Indo-Malay"[?] for the subregion; it is descriptive & I think altogether unobjectionable. I find you still incline[d] to the idea of the Peninsula of India being of Ethiopian rather than truly Oriental affinities; but I find their culture[?] to be wholly wrong. I have classified every genus of Mammals and birds really inhabiting Hindustan on the Peninsula of India; (leaving with Ceylon of S.[outh] India which I make a separate [3] subregion) and I find a most amazing result. In birds only 4 genera are really Ethiopian,— while 81 are really Oriental,— that is, range over the greater part of the region to the Himalayas^, Indo-China & Malaysia, to which they are wholly & almost wholly captured. I can only attribute what seem to ^{me to} be the "delusion" of Indian Ornithologists, by the fact that the few Ethiopian types that do occur are of course few country birds & strike the eye,— & that others which are quite as much Oriental and Palearctic as Ethiopian,— & which I therefore class as "genera of wide range" have been supported to show Ethiopian affinities. I think the lists which I shall print entire will settle the question. Mammals come [4] out almost equally strong.

Believe me | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

A.R.Wallace Dec. 6/7/ 74³

P.S. I hope you think my arrangement of Passerine families is some improvement on the "no-arrangement" that has hitherto prevailed. A.R.W. [signature]