206 CHARLES DARWIN. 



The refere nce in this lett er is to Meld ola's pape r, 

 " Entomological Not^^s bearmg o n Evolution," soon 

 af terwards published in the Annals and M agazine 

 of Natural History 18*787^01. 1. p. l55, TJie cater- 

 piTIar referred to is the well-known larva of the Large 

 Elephant Hawk Moth {Ghcerocampa elpenor). 



Darwin then wrote a brief note (October 19th, 

 1877) referring to a number of Kosmos containing an 

 article on " Sexual Selection." He offered to send the 

 number if it would interest his correspondent. The 

 number was sent, as the succeeding letter shows : — 



'' Oct. 227id [1817]. "Down. 



' My deae Sir,— I send Kosmos by this post. . . . 



"Prof. Weismann's address is Freiburg. — I should think 

 he would be glad of translation, and would probably arrange 

 for stereotypes of Plates. — You could say as an introduction 

 that I had lent you his book. — To find a publisher will be 

 perhaps a difficulty. Should it be translated I must beg you 

 to get another copy, as I cannot spare mine for such a length 

 of time. — Wallace sent me his article and I was quite dis- 

 satisfied with it. — To explain a peacock's tail by vital activity 

 seems to me mere verbiage — a mere metaphysical principle. 

 " My dear Sir, yours faithfully, " Ch. Darwin. 



" It will be a public benefit to bring out a translation." 



Then followed three letters, January 3rd, March 

 24th, and March 27th, 1878 ; the first written when 

 Darwin was sending another number of Kosmos, the 

 second when sending his photograph, the third en- 

 closing a letter from Fritz Midler containing some 

 very interesting observations on mimicry in South 

 American butterflies. 



