180 Transactions. — Zoology. 



In the first place, then, I will refer to a communication 

 from Mr. Alfred Eussel Wallace, the great apostle of Darwin- 

 ism. It will be remembered that I ventured to differ with that 

 eminent scientist on one or two points— chiefly as to the posi- 

 tion assigned by him to the genus Apteryx. I said (p. 80"''), "I 

 cannot for a moment admit that the Kiwi is one of the lowest 

 birds in the sense implied. It rather seems to me to be an ex- 

 tremely specialised foi'm, and one to which Mr. Wallace's own 

 felicitous remarks (at page 105f) are specially applicable: ' In 

 species which have a wide range the struggle for existence will 

 often cause some individuals to adopt new habits in order to 

 seize upon vacant places in nature where the struggle is less 

 severe. Some, living among extensive marshes, may adopt a 

 more aquatic mode of life ; others, living where forests abound, 

 may become more arboreal. In either case, we cannot doubt 

 that the changes of structure needed to adapt them to their 

 new habits would soon be brought about, because we know 

 that variations in all the external organs and all their separate 

 parts are very abundant, and are also considerable in amount. 

 That such divergence of character has actually occurred we 

 have some direct evidence.' " I then proceeded to argue that 

 the A]}tcryx was, in every way, the most specialised type of 

 its kind — an extreme form of degeneracy, using that term in 

 its Darwinian sense. 



Mr. Wallace, in acknowledging receipt of my pamphlet, 

 writes in appreciative terms of the paper as a whole, and 

 stating that on the only points on which he disagreed with me 

 he had communicated an article to Nature. On turning this 

 up (vol. lii., p. 60) I find the following criticism : "Its main 

 subject-matter is a discussion of the various ways in which the 

 peculiarities of structure, colour, distribution, and habits of 

 New Zealand birds serve to illustrate the theory of natural 

 selection, and often to afford very strong arguments in its 

 favour. The address is very clear and forcible, full of inter- 

 esting facts and suggestive observations, and will be read with 

 interest by all naturalists. One or two points only call for any 

 critical observation. Sir Walter Buller objects to the Aptcryx 

 being classed by Mr. Wallace as among ' the lowest birds,' 

 because he says it is really ' an extremely specialised form.' 

 But surely the Katitse are lower than the Carinata3, and the 

 Apteryx is so specialised as to be almost the least bird-like of 

 the Eatitoe. If it is not to be classed among the lowest exist- 

 ing birds, where are they to be found ? " 



It will be seen, on referring to what I said, that what I 

 objected to was the placing of the Kiwi among the lowest 



* Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxvii. 

 t " Darwinism." 



