MEMOIR. Ixvii 
HT. W. Bates to Dr. J. D. Hooker. 
**22, HARWOOD STREET, HAVERSTOCK HILt, N.W., 
“* May 16th. 
‘““My DEAR DR. HOOKER, 
‘“‘T am glad to say that the storm appears to have blown over, for 
Dr. Gray, in the kindest manner possible, has confessed that the data on 
which he was about forming his judgment on my errors were not complete, 
and I conclude he thinks I have not exaggerated. A little opposition and 
criticism is what I expect, but I thank you for reminding me of the necessity 
of preserving equanimity ; for unless one’s resolution to do so is repeatedly 
strengthened by such reminders, it is apt to give way. With regard to the 
difficulty of climbing the scientific and social tree, all that you say does not 
depress me, for I have a settled conviction that the reputation and friendships 
I have already acquired are more than I had a right to expect. 
‘‘The hardships of foreign travel have the good effect of cooling the 
ardour of one’s expectations and ambition. I do not know whether it is the 
same with other travellers as myself, but these tough experiences seem to 
bring one under the truest of the beatitudes, namely, ‘ Blessed are those who 
expect little or nothing, for they shall not be disappointed.’ 
**T am now trying to write a paper for Natural History Review, on the 
* Geographical Relations of Species, and their Varieties.’ 
‘“‘To bring entomological facts into comparison with botanical I am again 
reading your wonderful treatises on New Zealand, Australian, and Arctic 
floras. 
“‘ Wallace, the other day, told me he was reading your Arctic paper, and 
it convinced him that A/azfs alone offered satisfactory data for generalisation 
on distribution, recent geological change, etc. 
‘*T think it is rash to say so at present, seeing that this branch of science 
is at present in its youngest infancy. Am I not right in saying that you are 
the originator of it ? 
** But what I want to do now is to ask you a question or two relative to 
some of your published statements. 
“You say in flora of Australza that the best-marked varieties of a 
species occur on the confines of the specific area, and that the mean_form 
of the species towards its centre ; giving a species of rhododendron as an 
example. No doubt this point has been thought over by you many times 
since you published, therefore I should very much like to know whether you 
still consider it the rule in plants. I fancy it is not the rule in insects 
sufficient to be called a law for application in biological science. It may be 
pretty general that varieties occurring at the extreme points of the area ofa 
species diverge most from the assumed type; but there are numerous cases 
in which small areas within the larger area contain very divergent varieties, 
or races, producing the impression that such areas exert a strong derverting 
imjeuence on species; such as the islands Corsica and Sardinia in the 
Mediterranean fauna, the Sula Islands in the Malayan, etc. If this subject 
bores you just now pray do not waste time in answering. 
“Yours sincerely, 
“HW, BArES.” 
