Works on Biology, etc. 



in Wallace's writings, and it is to be noted that while 

 Darwin devoted himself entirely to scientific subjects, 

 Wallace diverged at intervals from natural science to 

 what may be termed the scientific consideration of social 

 conditions, in addition to his researches into spiritualistic 

 phenomena. 



The many enticing interests arising out of the classify- 

 ing of his birds and insects led Wallace to the conclusion 

 that it would be best to postpone the writing of his book 

 on the Malay Archipelago until he could embody in it the 

 more generally important results derived from the detailed 

 study of certain portions of his collections. Thus it was 

 not until seven years later (1869) that this complete sketch 

 of his travels '' from the point of view of the philosophic 

 naturalist " appeared. 



Between 1862 and 1867 he wrote a number of articles 

 which were published in various journals and magazines, 

 and he read some important papers before the Linnean, 

 Entomological, and other learned Societies. These in- 

 cluded several on physical and zoological geography; six 

 on questions of anthropology; and five or six dealing with 

 special applications of Natural Selection. As these papers 

 " discussed matters of considerable interest and novelty,'* 

 such a summary of them may be given as will serve to 

 indicate their value to natural science. 



The first of them, read before the Zoological Society in 

 January, 1863, gave some detailed information about his 

 collection of birds brought from Burn. In this he showed 

 that the island was originally one of the Moluccan group, 

 as every bird found there which was not widely distri- 

 buted was either identical with or closely allied to Moluc- 

 can species, while none had special affinities with Celebes. 

 It was clear, then, that this island formed the most westerly 

 outlier of the Moluccan group. 



3 



