consult books against time, when in London for a day.

However, I will try to do something to mend this matter, should I have to
prepare another edition.

I return you Forel's letter. It does not advance the question much;
neither do I think it likely that even the complete observation he thinks
necessary would be of much use, because it may well be that the ova, or
larvae, or imagos of the beetles are not carried systematically by the
ants, but only occasionally, owing to some exceptional circumstances. This
might produce a great effect in distribution, yet be so rare as never to
come under observation.

Several of your remarks in previous letters I shall carefully consider. I
know that, compared with the extent of the subject, my book is in many
parts crude and ill-considered; but I thought, and still think, it better
to make some generalisations wherever possible, as I am not at all afraid
of having to alter my views in many points of detail. I was so overwhelmed
with zoological details, that I never went through the Geological Society's
"Journal" as I ought to have done, and as I mean to do before writing more
on the subject.


LETTER 394. TO F. BUCHANAN WHITE.

(394/1. "Written in acknowledgment of a copy of a paper (published by me
in the "Proceedings of the Zoological Society") on the Hemiptera of St.
Helena, but discussing the origin of the whole fauna and flora of that
island."--F.B.W.)