Dear Darwin

Thank you very much for the copy of your fifth Edition of the “Origin”. I have not yet read all the additions, but those I have looked at seem very interesting, though somewhat brief,—but I suppose you are afraid of too great & rapid growth.

A difficult sexual character seems to me the plumules or battledore scales on the wings of certain families & genera of butterflies—almost invariably changing in form with the species and genera in proportion to other changes,—and always constant in each species yet confined to the males, & so small & mixed up with the other scales, as to produce no effect on the colour or marking of the wings. How could sexual selection produce them?²

Your correspondent Mr. Geach³ is now in England, & if you would like to see him I am sure would be glad to meet you. He is staying with his brother,⁴ address, Guildford, but often comes to town.

Hoping that you have quite recovered from your accident⁵ & that the great work is progressing, | Believe me | Dear Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace—

P.S. You will perhaps be pleased to hear that German French & Danish translations of my Malay Archipelago are in progress.⁶

A R W.