One of Wallace’s most important contributions to the physical geography of the Malay region was his discovery of the physical differences between the western and the eastern portions of the Archipelago; i.e. that the islands lying to the east of a line running north from the middle of the Straits of Bali and outside Celebes were fragments of an ancient and larger Australian continent, while those to the western side were fragments of an Asiatic continent.  This he elucidated by recognising that the flora and fauna on the two sides of the line, close though these islands approached each other, were absolutely different and had remained for ages uncommingled.  This line was denominated “Wallace’s Line” by Huxley, and this discovery alone would have been sufficient to associate his name inseparably with this region of the globe.—­H.O.F.

Like Darwin, Wallace gave excessive attention to the suggestions and criticisms of people who were obviously ignorant of the subjects about which they wrote.  He was never impatient with honest ignorance or considered the lowly position of his correspondents.  He replied to all letters of inquiry (and he received many from working men), and always gave his best knowledge and advice to anyone who desired it.  There was not the faintest suggestion of the despicable sense of superiority about him.

“I had, of course, revelled in ‘The Malay Archipelago’ when a boy,” says Prof.  Cockerell, “but my first personal relations with Dr. Wallace arose from a letter I wrote him after reading his ‘Darwinism,’ then (early in 1890) recently published.  The book delighted me, but I found a number of little matters to criticise and discuss, and with the impetuosity of youth proceeded to write to the author, and also to send a letter on some of the points to Nature.  I have possibly not yet reached years of discretion, but in the perspective of time I can see with confusion that what I regarded as worthy zeal might well have been characterised by others as confounded impudence.  In the face of this, the tolerance and kindness of Dr. Wallace’s reply is wholly characteristic:  ’I am very much obliged to you for your letter containing so many valuable emendations and suggestions on my “Darwinism.”  They will be very useful to me in preparing another edition.  Living in the country with but few books, I have often been unable to obtain the latest information, but for the purpose of the argument the facts of a few years back are often as good as those of to-day—­which in their turn will be modified a few years hence....  You appear to have so much knowledge of details in so many branches of natural history, and also to have thought so much on many of the more recondite problems, that I shall be much pleased to receive any further remarks or corrections on any other portions of my book.’  This letter, written to a very young and quite unknown man in the wilds of Colorado, who had merely communicated