Nothing
ever astonished me more than the case of the Galaxias; but it does not
seem known whether it may not be a migratory fish like the salmon. It
seems to me that you complicate rather too much the successive
colonisations with New Zealand. I should prefer believing that the
Galaxias was a species, like the Emys of the Sewalik Hills, which has
long retained the same form. Your remarks on the insects and flowers of
New Zealand have greatly interested me; but aromatic leaves I have
always looked at as a protection against their being eaten by insects or
other animals; and as insects are there rare, such protection would not
be much needed. I have written more than I intended, and I must again
say how profoundly your book has interested me.
Now let me turn to a very different subject. I have only just heard of
and procured your two articles in the _Academy_. I thank you most
cordially for your generous defence of me against Mr. Mivart. In the
"Origin" I did not discuss the derivation of any one species; but that I
might not be accused of concealing my opinion I went out of my way and
inserted a sentence which seemed to me (and still so seems) to declare
plainly my belief.
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