Alfred Russel Wallace was a great admirer of Charles DarwinAn English naturalist (1809-1882). In 1859 Darwin published On the Origin of Species, which outlined his theory of evolution. and a fellow naturalist, who independently proposed the theory of evolutionThe process of change in the inherited traits of a population of organisms from one generation to the next. by natural selectionThe natural process whereby the best-adapted individuals survive longer, have more offspring and thereby spread their characteristics. Sometimes referred to as 'survival of the fittest'..
Wallace worked around the world gathering evidence to support his evolutionary theory. He is best known for studying warning colouration in animals, and examples include the Golden Birdwing Butterfly (Ornithoptera croesus).
After a variety of zoological discoveries Wallace proposed a theory of evolution, which matched Darwin's unpublished ideas that he had kept secret for nearly 20 years. This encouraged Darwin to collect his scientific ideas and collaborate with Wallace. Wallace produced scientific journals with Darwin in 1858, which prompted Darwin to publish On the Origin of Species the following year.