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The Malay Archipelago
Alfred R. Wallace
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A work of
astounding scope and originality that
provides some of the first evidence of
the modern theory of evolution. Wallace,
a contemporary of Charles Darwin, spent
nearly a decade cataloging the plant and
animal species which inhabited the unique
geographical area of the Malay
Archipelago, and remains to this day one
of the most extensive works of natural
history ever written.
The book went through fifteen editions
during his own life alone, and has been
translated into every major language (and
a number of minor ones). It is clearly
one of the greatest scientific travel
books ever written, both for its
well-constructed survey description of
the region in question, and for its
scientific value to the professional
naturalist.
Wallace spent eight years in Indonesia as
a natural history collector; during this
period he collected an incredible 125,000
specimens, carried out the first
important field studies on the orangutan
and paradise birds, clarified the
ethnology of the region, discovered the
faunal discontinuity known now as
'Wallace's Line,' was one of the first
Europeans to take up residence for an
extended period on the island of New
Guinea, founded the modern approach to
biogeographical analysis, and last but
not least arrived upon the theory of
natural selection.
Today's casual reader will be troubled a
little here and there by lists of Latin
names of plants and animals, but this is
a minor distraction from the telling of
one of history's greatest feats of
natural history investigation.
Buy
Volume 1
Buy
Volume 2 also available as an
Ebook (Adobe Reader).© Raijua.com
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