From G. R. Waterhouse   [1839 – 10 February 1840]¹

My dear Darwin

I herewith send you Blackwalls book,² I have not been so much pleased with it as I expected I should, from parts which I had read when I saw you— there is not a little twaddle* about it—it is nevertheless interesting & worth reading—very likely I can’t appreciate it

faithfully yours | Geo R Waterhouse Tuesday night

*book making

P.S. I’ll be bound if there are any marsupials in Java or Sumatra, I see that Temminck³ (who by the bye expects some will be found in those islands) expressly denies that any of the Cuscuses (species forming a subdivision of Phalangista) are found, as has been stated, in Java— The only one he has given the locality of Java to is a species found at van Dieman’s land and Port Jackson— now it so happens that all the Phalangistas as yet found in the islands to the North of Australia belong to a different division of the group⁴ —a group remarkable, among other characters, for a peculiarly wooly frizzled (I think that is a new word) fur—like a black man’s head—and no doubt serves to keep off the hot tropical sun— there is I am sure some mistake— Judging from the Zoological Productions you may depend upon it Java and Sumatra are India— I have got plenty of Java Birds and several quadrupeds from Singapore—and New Guinea—most probably the Moluccas, Celebes, Banda & Amboina are Australia, at least they have a strong smell of that Continent— I say this to call your attention to the matter in a Geological point of view—

I hope to goodness you are better⁵ —and I hope all goes on well