Alfred Russel Wallace 



was a deliberate falsification. Huxley wrot^ to him on 

 the subject and has almost or quite cut him in conse- 

 quence; and so would Hooker, but he was advised not to 

 do so as President of the Koyal Society. Well, he has 

 gained his object in giving me pain, and, good God, to 

 think of the flattering, almost fawning speeches which he 

 has made to me ! I wrote, of course, to him to say that I 

 would never speak to him again. I ought, however, to be 

 contented, as he is the one man who has ever, as far as I 

 know, treated me basely. 



Forgive me for writing at such length, and believe me 

 yours very sincerely. Oh. Darwin, 



P.S. — I am very sorry that you have given up sexual 

 selection. I am not at all shaken, and stick to my colours 

 like a true Briton. When I think about the unadorned 

 head of the Argus pheasant, I might exclaim, Et tu^ 

 Brute ! 



Down, BecJcenham, June 25, 1876, 



My dear Wallace, — I have been able to read rather more 

 quickly of late and have finished your book. I have not 

 much to say. Your careful account of the temperate parts 

 of South America interested me much, and all the more 

 from knowing something of the country. I like also much 

 the general remarks towards the end of the volume on the 

 land molluscs. Now for a few criticisms. 



P. 122:' I am surprised at your saying that *' during 

 the whole Tertiary period North America was zoologically 

 far more strongly contrasted with South America than it 

 is now." But we know hardly anything of the latter 1 

 except during the Pliocene period, and then the mastodon, 

 horse, several great Dentata, etc. etc., were common to 

 the North and South. If you are right I erred greatly in 



* The pages refer to Vol. II. of Wallace's *' Geographical Distribution." 



292 



