Ɛpsilon

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 & in 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 but none of my friends possess. & I've been reading a book called Atlantis in which reference is made. If you would lend me a copy I would return it in two months –

Hoping you are well | yours truly | B Harrison5 [signature]

Copy lent — June 20th 19046

1
Address was where the author lived at that time.
2

Date was based on the letter Harrison enclosed in this letter to ARW.

https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1371

3
Shepherd, Rev. Charles William, (1838-1920) Clergyman at Trottiscliffe, Kent.
4
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.
5
Harrison, Benjamin. (1837-1921). Village grocer of Ightham, Kent, member and historian of the Kent Archaeological Society and author of several papers on archaeology.
6
In pencil in ARW’s hand written vertically up the left hand side of page 2.

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] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2024-12-24]

Enclosure (WCP1371.8363)

[1]1

Trottiscliffe R <Rectory>

Maidstone

June 15.1904

Dear Sir

No longer does O. <Ophrys> fusca grow abundantly to the N, E of Trisley. In old days, it used to do and I have seen 30 or 40 in a day – but 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 nest Listera

which came to my hand while hunting for O fusca

Yours very truly | Cha: W. Shepherd2 [signature]

1
The letter was enclosed in Harrison’s letter to ARW. See https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1371
2
Shepherd, Rev. Charles William (1838-1920). Clergyman at Trottiscliffe, Kent.

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] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2024-12-24]

Please cite as “WCP1371,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP1371