Alfred Russel Wallace 



this seems to offer a crucial test. — Believe me yours very 

 t^"ly> Alfred K. Wallace. 



To Dr. W. B. Hbmsley 



Frith Hill, Godalming. September 13, 1888. 



Dear Mr. Hemsley, — Many thanks for your interesting 

 letter. The facts you state seem quite to support the usual 

 view, that thorns and spines have been developed as a pro- 

 tection against other animals. The few spiny plants in 

 New Zealand may be for protection against land molluscs, 

 of which there are several species as large as any in the 

 tropics. Of course in Australia we should expect only a 

 comparative scarcity of spines, as there are many herbi- 

 vorous marsupials in the country. — Believe me yours very 

 faithfully, Alfred R. Wallace. 



The next and several of the succeeding letters refer 

 to the translations of Weismann's " Essays upon Heredity 

 and Kindred Biological Problems " (Oxford, 1889), and to 

 '' Darwinism " (London, 1889). 



To Prof. Poulton 



Frith. Hill, Goialming. November 4, 1888. 



My dear Mr. Poulton, — I returned you the two first of 

 Weismann's essays, with a few notes and corrections in 

 pencil on that on '' Duration of Life." Looking over some 

 old papers, I have just come across a short sketch on two 

 pages, on " The Action of Natural Selection in producing 

 Old Age, Decay and Death," written over twenty years 

 ago.^ I had the same general idea as Weismann, but not 

 that beautiful suggestion of the duration of life, in each 

 case, being the minimum necessary for the preservation of 

 the species. That I think masterly. The paper on 



» Printed in full as a footnote to Weismann's " Essays upon Heredity," etc. 



44 



