Ɛpsilon

To A. R. Wallace   9 July [1873]1

Down, | Beckenham, Kent.

July 9th

My dear Wallace

Dr. G. Krefft has sent me the enclosed from Sydney.2 A nurseryman3 saw a caterpillar feeding on a plant & covered the whole up, but, when he searched for the cocoon, was long before he cd. find it, so good was its imitation in colour & form to the leaf to which it was attached.

I hope that the World goes well with you.— Do not trouble yourself by acknowledging this, | Ever yours | Ch. Darwin

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter from Gerard Krefft, 3 May 1873.
2
Gerard Krefft had enclosed a chrysalis with his letter of 3 May 1873.

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.4 leaf] ‘f’over‘ve’

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-8970,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-8970