89 
Dec. 81, 1909. The Queensland Naturalist. 
questions of origin and metamorphosis, and of geographical 
distribution. In correspondence, before leaving England, 
they avowed to each other that their main object for study 
was the enigma of creation or evolution. With a few 
pounds in pocket, on a worn-out and unseaAVorthy slave- 
trader, they discussed the queston of mimicry, and tried 
to give meanings to the spots and lines on the wings of 
moths and butterflies. In 1852, Wallace returned to Europe, 
and gave to the world his interesting Travels on the 
Amazons and Rio Negro.” 
Two years later, Wallace set out on a voyage of tropical 
exploration among the islands of the Malay Archipelago, 
and for eight years he Avandered about from island to island 
gathering the enormous store of minute facts he after- 
wards revealed to the Avorkl in Tropical Nature/’ and 
“ The Geographical Distribution of Animals.” From 
Amboyna, Wallace sent to Darwin a striking memoir, 
asking him to forAvard it to Sir Charles Lyell for presenta- 
tion to the Linnean Society. To DarAvin’s surprise he 
found it to contain the spirit and essence of his own theory 
of natural selection, not worked out in detail, as he was 
working it, but with no essential idea lacking. Without 
a single qualm of jealousy, DarAvin sent the paper, through 
Lyell, to the Linnean Society. 
By the advice of both Sir Charles Lyell and Sir Joseph 
Hooker, DarAAun published a few extracts from his own 
manuscripts, side by side with those of Wallace. The two 
contributions Avere read on July 1st, 1858. This double 
communication marks the birth of modern biological 
CA^olutionism. Wallace and DarAvin acted Avith the greatest 
courtesy and forbearance towards each other ; the elder 
never sought to rob the younger of his claim to priority ; 
the younger Avaived his claim to divide the honours of 
discovery in favour of the elder. 
As soon as the papers at the Linnean had been read 
and printed, DarAvin concentrated himself upon the pro- 
duction of the first instalment of his great work. This 
instalment was “ The Origin of Species.” published November 
24th- 1859. This Avork caused an almost immediate revolu- 
tion in biological and general opinion, and received the all 
but universal adhesion of the greatest and most progressive 
naturalists. So many workers at once entered the held, 
that the remaining portions were not taken in hand by 
Darwin, as he had originally intended, and the great chief 
was left to give his time to special researches, the results 
of each of Avhich Avere communicated to the AA Orld by special 
volumes. 
Of Darwin’s great work, Herbert Spencer writes : — 
Even could the supporters of the development hypothesis 
merely show that the production of species by the process 
of^^modihcation is conceivable, they Avould be in a better 
