My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

LYELL AND DARWIN 237subdued coloration whilst the males had remainedbright and comparatively conspicuous,(3) Darwin thought that the arctic plants found onisolated mountain tops within the tropics could onlybe explained by the spreading of the arctic flora overthe tropics during the glacial period. From a studyof the floras of oceanic islands, I had come to theconclusion that the mountain flora had been derivedby aerial transmission of seeds either by birdsgales.or by(4) Darwin always believed in the inheritance ofacquired characteristics, such as the results of use ordisuse of organs, and the effects of climate, food, etc.,on the individual. I also accepted this theory at first,but when I had studied Mr. Galton's experiments andDr. Weismann's theory of the continuity of the germplasmI had to change my views. The latter theoryreally simplifies and strengthens the fundamentaldoctrine of natural selection.It will thus appear that none of my differences ofopinion from Darwin imply any real divergence as tothe overwhelming importance of the great principle ofnatural selection, while in several directions I believethat I have extended and strengthened it. Theprinciple of "utility," which is one of its chieffoundation-stones, I have always advocated unreservedly; while in extending this principle to almostevery kind and degree of coloration, and in maintainingthe power of natural selection to increase the infertilityof hybrid unions, I have considerably extendedits range. Hence it is that some of my critics declarethat I am more Darwinian than Darwin himself, andin this, I admit, they are not far wrong.When Darwin died in 188 1 I was honoured by aninvitation to his funeral in Westminster Abbey, as one