WCP1371

Letter (WCP1371.1150)

[1]

[Ightham, Kent]1

[June, 1904]2

Dr. Wallace

Dr sir / I made two expeditions in [two words illeg.] but alas too early or[?] too late — for on the last occasion[?] it[?] has[?] been[?] cut[?] and[?] on[?] the[?] first [?] undeveloped —

I therefore[?] tried by exchange with the Rev Shepherd of Trottiscliffe3 a very keen botanist. &[?] forward[?] his [2] letter.

If he finds Salvia I will forward[?] to you to remind[?] you[?] of your findings[?] at Cobham many years ago — I have been trying to get[?] a read[?] at[?] Island Life4,5 but none of my friends[?] possess[?] it[?] I've been reading a book[?] called Atlantis in which Africa[?] is [one word illeg.] If you would lend me a copy I would return it in two months —6

Hoping you are well | yours truly | B Harrison7 [signature]

1
Unaddressed. See endnote 6.
2
Undated. Date based on letter from Rev. C. W. Shepherd: see endnote 3.
3
Shepherd, Rev. Charles William, (1838-1920) Clergyman at Trottiscliffe, Kent. See WCP1371_E8363, Maidstone, June 15, 1904, to an unknown correspondent. This is almost certainly the letter forwarded to Wallace by Harrison.
4
"Island Life" is underlined in pencil.
5
Wallace, Alfred Russel. (1880). Island life: or, the phenomena and causes of insular faunas and floras, including a revision and attempted solution of the problem of geological climates. Macmillan & Co. London.
6
Annotated vertically in pencil in the left margin in ARW's[?] hand "Copy lent — June 20th 1904".
7
Harrison, Benjamin. (1837-1921). Village grocer of Ightham, Kent, member and historian of the Kent Archaeological Society and author of several papers on archaeology.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP1371.1150)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Lucas, Paula [2018-08-15]

Enclosure (WCP1371.8363)

[1]

Trottiscliffe R[ectory]

Maidstone

June 15.1904

Dear Sir

No longer does O. fusca1 grow abundantly to the NE of [word illeg.]. In old days, it used to do and I have seen 30 or 40 in a day. but [sic] now it is different. I have been out all day hunting in its old haunts and the feeble specimen I send you is the only one I could find — and that had no leaves and seemed ashamed of its existence.

The salvia is not so easy [2] to find — but I will send you a piece when next I see it.

I enclose also

Habernaria chloroleuca

Epipactis grandiflora

Birds [sic] nest Listera

which came to my hand while hunting for O fusca

Yours very truly | Cha[rles]. W. Shepherd [signature]

1
Ophrys fusca. Commonly known as Sombre or Dark Bee-Orchid.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Enclosure (WCP1371.8363)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Ahmed, Eman Riaz [2014-09-19] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-11-09]

Please cite as “WCP1371,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1371