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

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

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12.07.2015 Views

262 MY LIFEbottom of the well with connecting-rods and guidesup to the windmill, which also we erected and set towork ourselves. As the windmill had no regulatingapparatus, and, when the wind became strong, revolvedfar too rapidly, and even bent the connectingrod,I attachedto the ends of the iron vanes piecesof plate iron about a foot square, fixed at right anglesto the line of motion. These acted as brakes as soonas the revolution became moderately rapid, but hadlittle effect when it was slow ; and the arrangementworked very well.We got into the house in March, 1872, and Ibegan to take that pleasure in gardening, and especiallyin growing uncommon and interesting as well asbeautiful plants, which in various places, under manydifficulties and with mingled failures and successes,has been a delight and solace to me ever since.At this time I was somewhat doubtful in whatparticular direction to work, as I found that I couldnot now feel sufficient interest in any branch ofsystematic zoology to devote myself to the minutestudy required for the classification and descriptionof any important portion of my collections. Therewere many other men who could do that better thanI could, while my special tastes led me to somework which involved a good deal of reasoning andgeneralization. It was, I think, my two friends.Professor A. Newton and Dr. Sclater, who urged meto undertake a general review of the geographicaldistribution of animals, and after a little discussionof the subject I came to the conclusion that I mightperhaps be able to do it ; although, if I had beenaware of the difficulties of the task, I should probablynot have undertaken it.As this was the largest and perhaps the most

l*»HOME LIFE AND WORK 263important scientific work I have done, I may perhapsbe allowed here to say a few words as to its designand execution. I had already, in several of mypapers and articles, explained my general views ofthe purport and scope of geographical distribution asa distinct branch of biological science. I had acceptedand supported Dr. P. L. Sclater's division of theearth's surface into six great zoological regions,founded upon a detailed examination of the distributionof birds, but equally applicable to mammalia,reptiles, and several other great divisions, and bestserving to illustrate and explain the diversities andapparent contradictions in the distribution of all landanimals ; and I may now add that the additionalfacts accumulated, and the various divisions suggestedduring the thirty years that have since elapsed, havenot in the least altered my opinions on this matter.In whatever work I have done I have alwaysaimed at systematic arrangement and uniformity oftreatment throughout. But here the immense extentof the subject, the overwhelming mass of detail, andabove all the excessive diversities in the amount ofknowledge of the different classes of animals, renderedit quite impossible to treat all alike. My preliminarystudies had already satisfied me that it was quiteuseless to attempt to found any conclusions on thosegroups which were comparatively little known, eitheras regards the proportion of species collected anddescribed, or as regards their systematic classification.It was also clear that as the present distribution ofanimals is necessarily due to their past distribution,the greatest importance must be given to those groupswhose fossil remains in the more recent strata arethe most abundant and the best known. Theseconsiderations led me to limit my work in itsdetailed

l*»HOME LIFE AND WORK 263important scientific work I have done, I may perhapsbe allowed here to say a few words as to its design<strong>and</strong> execution. I had already, in several <strong>of</strong> mypapers <strong>and</strong> articles, explained my general views <strong>of</strong>the purport <strong>and</strong> scope <strong>of</strong> geographical distribution asa distinct branch <strong>of</strong> biological science. I had accepted<strong>and</strong> supported Dr. P. L. Sclater's division <strong>of</strong> theearth's surface into six great zoological regions,founded upon a detailed examination <strong>of</strong> the distribution<strong>of</strong> birds, but equally applicable to mammalia,reptiles, <strong>and</strong> several other great divisions, <strong>and</strong> bestserving to illustrate <strong>and</strong> explain the diversities <strong>and</strong>apparent contradictions in the distribution <strong>of</strong> all l<strong>and</strong>animals ; <strong>and</strong> I may now add that the additionalfacts accumulated, <strong>and</strong> the various divisions suggestedduring the thirty years that have since elapsed, havenot in the least altered my <strong>opinions</strong> on this matter.In whatever work I have done I have alwaysaimed at systematic arrangement <strong>and</strong> uniformity <strong>of</strong>treatment throughout. But here the immense extent<strong>of</strong> the subject, the overwhelming mass <strong>of</strong> detail, <strong>and</strong>above all the excessive diversities in the amount <strong>of</strong>knowledge <strong>of</strong> the different classes <strong>of</strong> animals, renderedit quite impossible to treat all alike. <strong>My</strong> preliminarystudies had already satisfied me that it was quiteuseless to attempt to found any conclusions on thosegroups which were comparatively little known, eitheras regards the proportion <strong>of</strong> species collected <strong>and</strong>described, or as regards their systematic classification.It was also clear that as the present distribution <strong>of</strong>animals is necessarily due to their past distribution,the greatest importance must be given to those groupswhose fossil remains in the more recent strata arethe most abundant <strong>and</strong> the best known. Theseconsiderations led me to limit my work in itsdetailed

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