3Q2 SPREAD OF EVOLUTION. [1862. 



admirable papers I ever read in my life. The mimetic cases 

 are truly marvellous, and you connect excellently a host of 

 analogous facts. The illustrations are beautiful, and seem 

 very well chosen ; but it would have saved the reader not a 

 little trouble, if the name of each had been engraved below 

 each separate figure. No doubt this would have put the 

 engraver into fits, as it would have destroyed ftie beauty of the 

 plate. I am not at all surprised at such a paper having con- 

 sumed much time. I am rejoiced that I passed over the 

 whole subject in the ' Origin,' for I should have made a pre- 

 cious mess of it. You have most clearly stated and solved 

 a wonderful problem. No doubt with most people this will 

 be the cream of the paper ; but I am not sure that all your 

 facts and reasonings on variation, and on the segregation of 

 complete and semi-complete species, is not really more, or 

 at least as valuable, a part. I never conceived the process 

 nearly so clearly before ; one feels present at the creation of 

 new forms. I wish, however, you had enlarged a little more 

 on the pairing of similar varieties; a rather more numerous 

 body of facts seems here wanted. Then, again, what a host 

 of curious miscellaneous observations there are as on related 



varieties of one species ; other mi- laws of variation ! Prof. Agassiz, 



mickers are undoubtedly distinct indeed, would think nothing of this 



species, or even distinct genera. difficulty ; for he believes that not 



So again, some of the mimicked only each species and each variety, 



forms can be shown to be merely but that groups of individuals, 



varieties ; but the greater number though identically the same, when 



must be ranked as distinct species, inhabiting distinct countries, have 



Hence the creationist will have to been all separately created in due 



admit that some of these forms proportional numbers to the wants 



have become imitators, by means of each land. Not many natur- 



of the laws of variation, whilst alists will be content thus to be- 



others he must look at as separately lieve that varieties and individuals 



created under their present guise ; have been turned out all ready 



he will further have to admit that made, almost as a manufacturer 



some have been created in imita- turns out toys according to the 



tion of forms not themselves created temporary demand of the market." 

 as we now see them, but due to the 



