quite ignore.  All this is preliminary.  Then follows a series of chapters on the different kinds of islands, continental and oceanic, with a pretty full discussion of the characters, affinities, and origin of their fauna and flora in typical cases.  Among these I am myself quite pleased with my chapters on New Zealand, as I believe I have fully explained and accounted for all the main peculiarities of the New Zealand and Australian floras.  I call the book “Island Life,” etc. etc., and I think it will be interesting.

Thanks for your regrets and kind wishes anent Epping.  It was a disappointment, as I had good friends on the Committee and therefore had too much hope.  I may just mention that I am thinking of making some application through friends for some post in the new Josiah Mason College of Science at Birmingham, as Registrar or Curator and Librarian, etc.  The Trustees have advertised for Professors to begin next October.  Should you happen to know any of the Trustees, or have any influential friends in Birmingham, perhaps you could help me.

I think this book will be my last, as I have pretty well said all I have to say in it, and I have never taken to experiment as you have.  But I want some easy occupation for my declining years, with not too much confinement or desk-work, which I cannot stand.  You see I had some reason for writing to you; but do not you trouble to write again unless you have something to communicate.

With best wishes, yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

I have not seen the Fortnightly yet, but will do so.

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Pen-y-bryn, St. Peter’s Road, Croydon.  October 11, 1880.

My dear Darwin,—­I hope you will have received a copy of my last book, “Island Life,” as I shall be very glad of your opinion on certain points in it.  The first five chapters you need not read, as they contain nothing fresh to you, but are necessary to make the work complete in itself.  The next five chapters, however (VII. to X.), I think, will interest you.  As I think, in Chapters VIII. and IX.  I have found the true explanation of geological climates, and on this I shall be very glad of your candid opinion, as it is the very foundation-stone of the book.  The rest will not contain much that is fresh to you, except the three chapters on New Zealand.  Sir Joseph Hooker thinks my theory of the Australian and New Zealand floras a decided advance on anything that has been done before.

In connection with this, the chapter on the Azores should be read.

Chap.  XVI. on the British Fauna may also interest you.

I mention these points merely that you may not trouble yourself to read the whole book, unless you like.

Hoping that you are well, believe me yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

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