392 



SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. 



[1862. 



admirable papers I ever read in my life. The mimetic cases 

 are truly marvellous, and you connect excellently a host of 

 analogous facts. The illustrations are beautiful, and seem 

 very well chosen ; but it would have saved the reader not a 

 little trouble, if the name of each had been engraved below 

 each separate figure. No doubt this would have put the 

 engraver into fits, as it would have destroyed the beauty of the 

 plate. I am not at all surprised at such a paper having con- 

 sumed much time. I am rejoiced that I passed over the 

 whole subject in the ' Origin,' for I should have made a pre- 

 cious mess of it. You have most clearly stated and solved 

 a wonderful problem. No doubt with most people this will 

 be the cream of the paper ; but I am not sure that all your 

 facts and reasonings on variation, and on the segregation of 

 complete and semi-complete species, is not really more, or 

 at least as valuable, a part. I never conceived the process 

 nearly so clearly before ; one feels present at the creation of 

 new forms. I wish, however, you had enlarged a little more 

 on the pairing of similar varieties ; a rather more numerous 

 body of facts seems here wanted. Then, again, what a host 

 of curious miscellaneous observations there are as on related 



varieties of one species ; other mi- 

 mickers are undoubtedly distinct 

 species, or even distinct genera. 

 So again, some of the mimicked 

 forms can be shown to be merely 

 varieties ; but the greater number 

 must be ranked as distinct species. 

 Hence the creationist will have to 

 admit that some of these forms 

 have become imitators, by means 

 of the laws of variation, whilst 

 others he must look at as separately 

 created under their present guise ; 

 he will further have to admit that 

 some have been created in imita- 

 tion of forms not themselves created 

 as we now see them, but due to the 



laws of variation ! Prof. Agassiz, 

 indeed, would think nothing of this 

 difficulty ; for he believes that not 

 only each species and each variety, 

 but that groups of individuals, 

 though identically the same, when 

 inhabiting distinct countries, have 

 been all separately created in due 

 proportional numbers to the wants 

 of each land. Not many natur- 

 alists will be content thus to be- 

 lieve that varieties and individuals 

 have been turned out all ready 

 made, almost as a manufacturer 

 turns out toys according to the 

 temporary demand of the market." 



