Showing 41–60 of 79 items
Talks of administrative matters. Tells of some collection that left by the Water Lily Singapore on 5th March including, orang skins and skulls, ferns and insects bird and mammal skins, shells, reptiles and directs Stevens what should be done with these collections.
Delayed expedition to Macassar; Christian missionaries, particularly French Catholics in China and elsewhere, missionary social work, religious doctrine.
Long wait for and final arrival of a ship to Macassar; arrival of Bates' letters from Ega (now Teffé) Brazil, and copy of Zoologist; geographical distribution of insect species in the islands of the Malay archipelago; relative scarcity of Lepidoptera; comparative numbers and types of insect species in Malay archipelago and Brazil; details of insects collected, including new butterfly Ornithoptera Brookeana (Wallace), Rhyncophorae, Carabidae, Anthribidae, Bupestridae, Cleridae, Longicornes and many others, total number of insect species collected estimated at 6,000, specimens over 30,000; desire to collect all world Longicornes for study; importance of recording location of capture of specimens; separation of collections from different localities; desire for future comparison of data and exchange of specimens with Bates; Orang Utans; comparison of types of forest plants, people and customs in Amazon and Malay archipelago; scarcity of edible fruit in the East; delicious Durian; Madame Pfeiffer's insect collection; regards to Spruce.
Talks of the difficulties he has had in getting to Macassar and his preparations he has made for collecting once he arrives there. He is sending two cases to Stevens - one full of books which he wants to sell and the other full of monkey skins, shells, insects for sale as well as insects, birds and monkey skull for private collection. Also some items addressed to Mrs Wallace and Mr Sims. Encloses a letter for forwarding to Bates.
Mentions lack of insects to be found in the area in the dry season and attributes this to the cultivation of this area. Has had more success in collecting birds. The birds in this area "throw great light on the laws of Geographical distribution of Animals in the East". He is preparing a short account of his theory for publication. His bird collection amounts to 68 species of which about 20 are not found to the west of the island. Goes on to describe the land and its cultivation. Details some specimens he is sending to Singapore for shipping home (includes birds for sale, butterflies, beetles and land and fresh water shells). Offers the domestic duck to Darwin as well as the jungle cock.
Talks of his arrival in Celebes [Sulawesi] and describes very sparse land. There are some woods (patch of about 6-8 miles) and he has found some birds and butterflies but no beetles. Talks of the difficulties collecting here being similar to that of the Amazon. Good collection of birds, including an abundance of Raptorial birds - the first place he has found these in the Archipelago. Collected over 40 species of bird, which he believes include some new species. Then talks of local traditions and some administrative matters.
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Arrival of letters from home; birth of first niece or nephew; expense of Sims's rent and financial burden to his mother; departure for Aru in two days time; diet on Aru, list of food stores to be taken, scarcity of fowl, will eat Birds of Paradise and Kangaroo; friends and family; Eliza Roberts's moustache.
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Receipt of mail from home including letters from Bates and Darwin; cleaning and packing of collections from Aru; detailed account of numbers, types and locations of insects collected, including first serious collection of very small beetle species (Staphylinidae etc) at Macassar; comparison of data sent by Bates with his own; reaction to ARW's paper "On the succession of species", approving letter from Darwin; benefit of Darwin's proposed publication on species and varieties; boundary between two distinct faunas in Malay Archipelago; proposed expeditions to Gilolo island [Halmahera] and New Guinea; advantages of Amboyna as a base; battles of Balaclava and Inkerman; Britain - India meeting [British rule in India]; insects in the Andes.
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Geodephaga species, commenting on notes made by F. Bates in a letter received a month previously; variation of entomological species; species of Catascopus sent to Saunders; habits of Cicindelidae; theory of colours of insect species; planned expedition to northern Celebes; plans to write a Coleoptera Malayana; disgraceful state of current publishing in entomology, comments on particular works.
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The Sims's business, George Silk's marriage plans; sending Dumas' La Reine Margot; Claudet's stereoscope; photographs by Riglander and Fry; The Family Herald; speeches by Spurjeon.