Sir

I cannot see how the following passages 〈w〉hich appear in the Origin of Species on pages 86 & 89 respectively of the six〈th〉 Edition, can be reconciled.²

1 p. 86 And we have seen that it is the most closely allied forms— varieties of the same species, & species 〈of the sa〉me genus or of re〈lat〉ed genera,—which from having nearly the same structure, constitution & habits, gener〈a〉lly come into the severest competition with each other.³

2. p. 89. But it 〈is seen〉, that where they come into the 〈clo〉sest competition the advantages of diversification of the structure, with the accompanying differences of habit & consti〈tution〉 determine that the inhabitants, which thus jostle each other most closely, shall, as 〈a〉 general rule belong to what we 〈ca〉ll different genera & orders.

I suppose you have not time 〈to〉 reply to this.

Y^rs. obediently | F. S. Arnold

C. D〈arw〉in Esq^r. M.A.