Sends a grass for determination, which he thinks 'Aria caespitosa' [Smith has annotated "yes" in margin]; gathered it from Ben Lomond in 1812.
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The Linnean Society of London Collection
The scientific and personal correspondence of James Edward Smith (1759-1828), purchaser of the collections of Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) and founder of the Linnean Society of London in 1788, was presented to the Linnean Society between 1857 and 1872 by his widow Pleasance Smith (1773-1877). Since then, it has been complemented by additional series. The collection was catalogued, conserved, and digitised from 2010 to 2013, thanks to the generous support of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Letters can be searched through Ɛpsilon, with links to images and summaries available on the Linnean Society’s Online Collections (http://linnean-online.org/smith_correspondence.html).
Sends a grass for determination, which he thinks 'Aria caespitosa' [Smith has annotated "yes" in margin]; gathered it from Ben Lomond in 1812.
Received Smith's letter of 16 September, pleased he is "assisting the cause of Botany in Liverpool" [establishment of botanic garden] and hopes to see some of [Nathaniel] Wallich's Nepalese plants there. Wallich "works like a horse" dispatching plants from Calcutta Botanic Garden around the world. Hopes to return to England in 1821. His studies have focused on zoology rather than botany, receiving specimens from Nepal through Wallich's intercourse, the country is rich in 'Phasianus'. Has a "fine Alligator's head for the Society", 'Crocodilus' of [George] Shaw, and a 'Gangeticus' [gharial], figures in Shaw ["General Zoology"?] are "wretched". Pleased Smith has grown a 'Rhododendron' from the seeds he sent, would like the credit of introducing the first Indian species to England, "they do not thrive in the moist air of Bengal". Has requested latest volumes of "Linnean Transactions" and "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society" from [William George] Maton.