Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection / A Series of Essays

Name: Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection / A Series of Essays
Author: Alfred Russel Wallace

By Alfred Russel Wallace

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Essays, Letters & Speeches Science - Biology

About This Book

The essays assemble the author's independent formulation and defense of natural selection, combining theoretical argument with empirical studies of variation, mimicry, and geographical distribution. Case studies include protective coloration and mimicry in insects and snakes, the Papilionidæ of the Malay region, and analyses of bird‑nest construction and instinct, together with reflections on human races and the limits of selection. The volume also addresses creation by law, corrects and expands earlier papers, and supplies taxonomic notes, experiments, and comparative observations to illustrate and qualify the explanatory scope of natural selection.

About the Author

Alfred Russel Wallace

Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, and biologist, best known for independently formulating the theory of evolution through natural selection, a concept he presented alongside Charles Darwin. His extensive travels in the Amazon and the Malay Archipelago provided him with rich insights into biodiversity and biogeography, which he documented in works such as "A Narrative of Travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro." Wallace also contributed to various fields, including entomology and anthropology, and was an advocate for spiritualism later in life, as reflected in his book "A Defence of Modern Spiritualism." His legacy endures in the realms of science and literature, marking him as a pivotal figure in the history of evolutionary thought.