The Wallace-Darwin Correspondence 



have often had fearful crops : I hope that the doctors are 

 right in saying that they are serviceable. 



How puzzled you must be to know what to begin at. You 

 will do grand work, I do not doubt. 



My health is, and always will be, very poor : I am 

 that miserable animal a regular valetudinarian. — Yours 

 very sincerely, q Darwin. 



5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. August 8, 1862. 



My dear Mr. Darwin, — I sincerely trust that your little 

 boy is by this time convalescent, and that you are therefore 

 enabled to follow your favourite investigations with a more 

 tranquil mind. 



I heard a remark the other day which may not perhaps be 

 new to you, but seemed to me a fact, if true, in your favour. 

 Mr. Ward (I think it was), a member of the Microscopical 

 Society, mentioned as a fact noticed by himself with much 

 surprise that ^^ the muscular fibres of the whale were no 

 larger than those of the bee!''— an excellent indication of 

 community of origin. 



While looking at the ostriches the other day at the 

 Gardens, it occurred to me that they were a case of special 

 dijBficulty, as, inhabiting an ancient continent, surrounded 

 by numerous enemies, how did their wings ever become 

 abortive, and if they did so before the birds had attained 

 their present gigantic size, strength and speed, how could 

 they in the transition have maintained their existence ? I 

 see West wood in the Annals brings forward the same case, 

 arguing that the ostriches should have acquired better wings 

 within the historic period ; but as they are now the swiftest 

 of animals they evidently do not want their wings, which in 

 their present state may serve some other trifling purpose in 

 their economy such as fans, or balancers, which may have 

 prevented their being reduced to such rudiments as in the 

 K 145 



