I quite missed this explanation,
though in the case of wheat I hit upon something analogous. I am glad
you praise the Duke's book, for I was much struck with it. The part
about flight seemed to me at first very good, but as the wing is
articulated by a ball-and-socket joint, I suspect the Duke would find it
very difficult to give any reason against the belief that the wing
strikes the air more or less obliquely. I have been very glad to see
your article and the drawing of the butterfly in _Science Gossip_. By
the way, I cannot but think that you push protection too far in some
cases, as with the stripes on the tiger. I have also this morning read
an excellent abstract in the _Gardeners' Chronicle_ of your paper on
nests;[66] I was not by any means fully converted by your letter, but I
think now I am so; and I hope it will be published somewhere _in
extenso_. It strikes me as a capital generalisation, and appears to me
even more original than it did at first.
I have had an excellent and cautious letter from Mr. Geach of Singapore
with some valuable answers on expression, which I owe to you.
Pages:
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300