Tropical Nature, and Other EssaysSometimes referred to as 'the grand old man of science', Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was a naturalist, evolutionary theorist, and friend of Charles Darwin. In this study of tropical flora and fauna, he takes the reader on a tour of the equatorial forest belt - the almost continuous band of forest that stretches around the world between the tropics. There, chameleon-like caterpillars alter the colours of their cocoons, parasitical trees override their hosts with spectacular aerial root systems, and some of the most pressing questions of Victorian evolutionary science arise: how do animals and plants come to be brightly coloured? Can their adaptations provide clues about past geological eras? And was Darwin wholly correct in his theory of sexual selection? First published in 1878, Wallace's book is a skilfully written reflection of contemporary naturalism, still highly readable and relevant to students in the history of science. |
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Page 28
On the line of the tropic of Cancer we have , in America the deserts and dry plains
of New Mexico ; in Africa the Sahara ; and in Asia , the Arabian deserts , those of
Beloochistan and Western India , and further east the dry plains of North China ...
On the line of the tropic of Cancer we have , in America the deserts and dry plains
of New Mexico ; in Africa the Sahara ; and in Asia , the Arabian deserts , those of
Beloochistan and Western India , and further east the dry plains of North China ...
Page 59
These are all natives of South America , but one species , Mimosa pudica , has
spread to Africa and Asia , so that sensitive - plants now abound as wayside
weeds in many parts both of the eastern and western tropics , sometimes
completely ...
These are all natives of South America , but one species , Mimosa pudica , has
spread to Africa and Asia , so that sensitive - plants now abound as wayside
weeds in many parts both of the eastern and western tropics , sometimes
completely ...
Page 71
The huntsman would be disappointed who expected to find here flocks of
animals similar to the buffalo - herds of North America , or the swarms of
antelopes and herds of ponderous pachyderms of Southern Africa . We often
read in books of ...
The huntsman would be disappointed who expected to find here flocks of
animals similar to the buffalo - herds of North America , or the swarms of
antelopes and herds of ponderous pachyderms of Southern Africa . We often
read in books of ...
Page 72
With a few verbal alterations these remarks will apply equally to the primeval
forests of the Malay Archipelago ; and it is probable that those of West Africa offer
no important differences in this respect . There is , nevertheless , one form of life ...
With a few verbal alterations these remarks will apply equally to the primeval
forests of the Malay Archipelago ; and it is probable that those of West Africa offer
no important differences in this respect . There is , nevertheless , one form of life ...
Page 84
... insect - eating birds , and thus save their more useful companions . These ants
devour grubs , white ants , and other soft and helpless insects , and seem to take
the place of the foraging ants of America and driver - ants of Africa , though they ...
... insect - eating birds , and thus save their more useful companions . These ants
devour grubs , white ants , and other soft and helpless insects , and seem to take
the place of the foraging ants of America and driver - ants of Africa , though they ...
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abundant adapted Africa allied America animals ants appear attract beautiful become believe birds blue butterflies causes changes character characteristic climate closely colour comparatively completely consider considerable conspicuous continent curious Darwin direct distinct distribution effect equally equatorial evidence existence extensive extreme fact families feet female fertilization flowers foliage forests fruits genera give greater green ground groups habits heat humming-birds important increase inhabit insects islands kinds known land larger leaves less light living male marked mass means nature North objects observed occur organic ornaments peculiar perhaps period plants possess present probably produced proportion protection rarely rays region relation remains remarkable resemble seems seen selection sometimes South species structure surface temperate temperature theory tints trees tropical types usually variation varied variety various vegetation whole wings yellow zone
Bibliographic information
| Title | Tropical Nature, and Other Essays Marilee E. Thomas and Robert C. Thomas Science and Related Subjects Collection |
| Author | Alfred Russel Wallace |
| Publisher | Macmillan and Company, 1878 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | 23 veeb. 2009 |
| Length | 356 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |