y compliments to Mrs. and Miss Darwin, and believe me yours
very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

_1 Carlton Terrace, Southampton. August 20, 1862._

My dear Mr. Wallace,--You will not be surprised that I have been slow in
answering when I tell you that my poor boy[36] became frightfully worse
after you were at Down; and that during our journey to Bournemouth he
had a slight relapse here and my wife took the scarlet fever rather
severely. She is over the crisis. I have had a horrid time of it, and
God only knows when we shall be all safe at home again--half my family
are at Bournemouth.

I have given a piece of the comb from Timor to a Mr. Woodbury (who is
working at the subject), and he is _extremely_ interested by it (I was
sure the specimen would be valuable) and has requested me to ascertain
whether the bee (_A. testacea_) is domesticated when it makes its combs.
Will you kindly inform me?

Your remarks on ostriches have interested me, and I have alluded to the
case in the Third Edition. The difficulty does not seem to me so great
as to you. Think of bustards, which inhabit wide open plains, and which
so seldom take flight: a very little increase in size of body would make
them incapable of flight. The idea of ostriches acquiring flight is
worthy of Westwood; think of the food required in these inhabitants of
the desert to work the pectoral muscles! In the rhea the wings seem of
considerable service in the first start and in turning.[37] ...

* * * * *

_5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. September 30, 1862._

My dear Mr. Darwin,--Many thanks for the third edition of the "Origin,"
which I found here on my return from Devonshire on Saturday. I have not
had time yet to read more than the Historical Sketch, which is very
interesting, and shows that the time had quite come for your book.

I am now reading Herbert Spencer's "First Principles," which seems to me
a truly great work, which goes to the root of everything.

I hope you will be well enough to come to Cambridge.

I remain, my dear Mr. Darwin, yours very faithfully,

ALFRED R. WALLACE.

* * * * *

_5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W. January 14 [1863?]._

My dear Mr. Darwin,--I am very sorry indeed to hear you are still in
weak health. Have you ever tried mountain air? A residence at 2,000 or
3,000 ft. elevation is very invigorating.

I trust your f