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 18
The description of the climatal phenomena of the equatorial zone here given ,
has been in great part drawn from long personal experience in South America
and in the Malay Archipelago . Over a large portion of these countries the same ...
The description of the climatal phenomena of the equatorial zone here given ,
has been in great part drawn from long personal experience in South America
and in the Malay Archipelago . Over a large portion of these countries the same ...
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 29
... have produced other great forest - belts in the northern and southern parts of
the temperate zones ; but owing to the paucity of land in the southern hemisphere
these are best seen in North America and Northern Euro - Asia , where they form
...
... have produced other great forest - belts in the northern and southern parts of
the temperate zones ; but owing to the paucity of land in the southern hemisphere
these are best seen in North America and Northern Euro - Asia , where they form
...
Page 33
... separate , sometimes matted together , are characteristic of the Eastern tropics
, but appear to be rare or altogether unknown in America , and can therefore
hardly be included among the general characteristics of the equatorial zone .
... separate , sometimes matted together , are characteristic of the Eastern tropics
, but appear to be rare or altogether unknown in America , and can therefore
hardly be included among the general characteristics of the equatorial zone .
Page 41
of 200 feet , for Humboldt states that in South America he measured a palm ,
which was 192 English feet high . The leaves of palms are often of immense size
. Those of the Manicaria saccifera of Para are thirty feet long and four or five feet ...
of 200 feet , for Humboldt states that in South America he measured a palm ,
which was 192 English feet high . The leaves of palms are often of immense size
. Those of the Manicaria saccifera of Para are thirty feet long and four or five feet ...
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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 |