366 MISCELLANEA. [1874. 



Belt. Mr. Belt, whose untimely death may well be deplored 

 by naturalists, was by profession an Engineer, so that all his 

 admirable observations in Natural History in Nicaragua and 

 elsewhere were the fruit of his leisure. The book is direct 

 and vivid in style and is full of description and suggestive 

 discussions. With reference to it my father wrote to Sir J. 

 D. Hooker : — 



" Belt I have read, and I am delighted that you like it so 

 much, it appears to me the best of all natural history journals 

 which have ever been published."] 



C. Darwin to the Marquis de Saporta. 



Down, May 30, 1874. 

 Dear Sir, — I have been very neglectful in not having 

 sooner thanked you for your kindness in having sent me your 

 ' Etudes sur la Vegetation,' &c, and other memoirs. I have 

 read several of them with very great interest, and nothing can 

 be more important, in my opinion, than your evidence of the 

 extremely slow and gradual manner in which specific forms 

 change. I observe that M. A. De Candolle has lately quoted 

 you on this head versus Heer. I hope that you may be able 

 to throw light on the question whether such protean, or poly- 

 morphic forms, as those of Rubus, Hieracium, &c, at the 

 present day, are those which generate new species ; as for 

 myself, I have always felt some doubt on this head. I trust 

 that you may soon bring many of your countrymen to be- 

 lieve in Evolution, and my name will then perhaps cease to 

 be scorned. With the most sincere respect, I remain, Dear 

 Sir, 



Yours faithfully, 



Ch. Darwin. 



