st_ interest; for I think that the most interesting
quarter of the whole globe in respect to distribution; and I have long
been very imperfectly trying to collect data from the Malay Archipelago.
I shall be quite prepared to subscribe to your doctrine of subsidence:
indeed from the quite independent evidence of the coral reefs I coloured
my original map in my Coral volumes colours [_sic_] of the Aru Islands
as one of subsidence, but got frightened and left it uncoloured. But I
can see that you are inclined to go _much_ further than I am in regard
to the former connection of oceanic islands with continents. Ever since
poor E. Forbes propounded this doctrine, it has been eagerly followed;
and Hooker elaborately discusses the former connection of all the
Antarctic islands and New Zealand and South America. About a year ago I
discussed the subject much with Lyell and Hooker (for I shall have to
treat of it) and wrote out my arguments in opposition; but you will be
glad to hear that neither Lyell nor Hooker thought much of my arguments;
nevertheless, for once in my life I dare withstand the almost
preternatural sagacity of Lyell. You ask about land-shells on islands
far distant from continents: Madeira has a few identical with those of
Europe, and here the evidence is really good, as some of them are
sub-fossil. In the Pacific islands there are cases of identity, which I
cannot at present persuade myself to account for by introduction through
man's agency; although Dr. Aug. Gould has conclusively shown that many
land-shells have thus been distributed over the Pacific by man's agency.
These cases of introduction are most plaguing. Have you not found it so
in the Malay Archipelago? It has seemed to me, in the lists of mammals
of Timor and other islands, that _several_ in all probability have been
naturalised.

Since writing before, I have experimented a little on some
land-molluscs, and have found sea-water not quite so deadly as I
anticipated. You ask whether I shall discuss Man: I think I shall avoid
the whole subject, as so surrounded with prejudices, though I fully
admit that it is the highest and most interesting problem for the
naturalist. My work, on which I have now been at work more or less for
twenty years, will _not_ fix or settle anything; but I hope it will aid
by giving a large collection of facts with one definite end. I get on
very slowly, partly from ill-health, partly from being a very slow
worker. I have got