Alfred wallace biography

He is best known for proposing a theory of natural selection. This was published in together with Charles Darwin 's idea. Wallace did extensive natural history exploring. He wrote books on both these adventures. While in Indonesia he drew the Wallace Line which divides Indonesia into two parts. On one side are animals of Australasia.

On the other side are species mostly of Asian origin. He wrote a book on biogeography the distribution of animals. After a few years of working as a railway surveyor with his brother, Wallace's life was changed by meeting Henry Walter Bates in Leicester in Wallace and Bates discussed the idea of an expedition to the Amazon. The plan was funded by sending specimens back to London, where an agent would sell them for a commission.

Also, the travellers planned to to " gather facts towards solving the problem of the origin of species ", as Wallace put it in a letter to Bates. The two friends, who were both by now experienced amateur entomologists , met in London to prepare themselves.

Alfred russel wallace and charles darwin relationship

They looked at South American plants and animals in the main collections. For the first year they settled in a villa near the city, collecting birds and insects. After that they agreed to collect independently.