t
of which, I think, are obscure on the under surface. That is a most
curious observation about the red underwing moth and the robin (435/3.
"Descent of Man," Edition I., Volume I., page 395. Mr. Weir describes
the pursuit of a red-underwing, Triphoena pronuba, by a robin which was
attracted by the bright colour of the moth, and constantly missed the
insect by breaking pieces off the wing instead of seizing the body. Mr.
Wallace's facts are given on the same page.), and strongly supports a
suggestion (which I thought hardly credible) of A.R. Wallace, viz. that
the immense wings of some exotic lepidoptera served as a protection from
difficulty of birds seizing them. I will probably quote your case.

No doubt Dr. Hooker collected the Kerguelen moth, for I remember he told
me of the case when I suggested in the "Origin," the explanation of
the coleoptera of Madeira being apterous; but he did not know what had
become of the specimens.

I am quite delighted to hear that you are observing coloured birds
(435/4. "Descent of Man," Edition I., Volume II., page 110.), though the
probability, I suppose, will be that no sure result will be gained. I am
accustomed with my numerous experiments with plants to be well satisfied
if I get any good result in one case out of five.

You will not be able to read all my book--too much detail. Some of the
chapters in the second volume are curious, I think. If any man wants to
gain a good opinion of his fellow-men, he ought to do what I am doing,
pester them with letters.

LETTER 436. TO J. JENNER WEIR. 4, Chester Place, Regent's Park, N.W.,
March 13th [1868].

You make a very great mistake when you speak of "the risk of your notes
boring me." They are of the utmost value to me, and I am sure I shall
never be tired of receiving them; but I must not be unreasonable. I
shall give almost all the facts which you have mentioned in your two
last notes, as well as in the previous ones; and my only difficulty
will be not to give too much and weary my readers. Your last note is
especially valuable about birds displaying the beautiful parts of their
plumage. Audubon (436/1. In his "Ornithological Biography," 5 volumes,
Edinburgh, 1831-49.) gives a good many facts about the antics of birds
during courtship, but nothing nearly so much to the purpose as yours.
I shall never be able to resist giving the whole substance of your last
note. It is quite a new light to me, except with the peacock and Bird