To A. R. Wallace 6 April [1868]
Summary
More on the "terrible problem" of natural selection and sterility. CD’s reasons for disagreeing with ARW. CD analyses and answers ARW in detail in defence of his conclusion that sterility cannot be increased through natural selection.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 6 Apr [1868] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434: 125–9) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6095 |
To A. R. Wallace 9 April [1868]
Summary
Warns ARW of dubious character of list of European alpine genera and species in volcanoes of Hawaii. Problems of geographical distribution in oceanic islands.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 9 Apr [1868] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6109 |
To A. R. Wallace 15 April [1868]
Summary
Admires ARW’s "Theory of birds’ nests" [J. Travel & Nat. Hist. 1 (1868): 73].
Discusses their respective views on birds’ nests, sexual selection, and protection.
Asks why, if brilliant colours of female butterflies are result of protective mimicry, do not males become equally brilliant? CD believes variation in females alone accounts for it, rather than protection.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 15 Apr [1868] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434: 133–5) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6121 |
To A. R. Wallace 30 April [1868]
Summary
More on CD’s objections to ARW’s views on protection and natural selection.
Sexual selection.
| Author: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Addressee: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Date: | 30 Apr [1868] |
| Classmark: | The British Library (Add MS 46434: 136–9) |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6146 |
From A. R. Wallace 8 [April] 1868
Summary
If CD is not convinced by his notes on sterility, ARW has little doubt that he is wrong. In fact he was only half-convinced by his own arguments.
Modifies his first proposition [a species varies occasionally in two directions, but owing to free inter-crossing the variations never increase] and further discusses the subject.
Encloses Berthold Seemann’s notes on flora of the Hawaiian Islands. Presence of European alpine species in Hawaiian volcanoes is a "hard nut" for geographical distribution [but see ARW’s Island life (1880), p. 323].
| Author: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 8 [Apr] 1868 |
| Classmark: | DAR 106: B57-8 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6104 |
From A. R. Wallace 28 April [1868]
Summary
Various topics related to sexual selection: sexual differences, sexual preferences, coloration.
| Author: | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Addressee: | Charles Robert Darwin |
| Date: | 28 Apr [1868] |
| Classmark: | DAR 84.1: 120–4 |
| Letter no: | DCP-LETT-6144 |
| letter | (6) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (4) |
| Wallace, A. R. | (2) |
| Wallace, A. R. | (4) |
| Darwin, C. R. | (2) |
