WCP1468

[1]

Singapore

June 4. 1897

My dear Reid

First, congratulations on the marriage of which I had heard from Edward Baker.

I sent a kind of preliminary report on the caves to Flower some months ago, with photographs & a colored drawing of the cave-snake, but I suppose his illness has been the cause of these having been laid by. I sent off also two cases containing the snakes & other animals collected but alas the box of snakes was I hear stolen by the Arabs in Egypt owing to the gross carelessness of the Steam company. They offer to pay damages, but that; not snakes. I cannot get away till after the Jubilee as I have a lot to do in Decoration[?] etc. on that [1 word illeg.] [2] Thereafter it is my intention to go up to the caves & work them as well as I can & get a fresh supply of snakes.

The most likely places for leaves[?] are those beneath the big shafts open at the top, but the accumulation of stuff there is simply enormous & would require an army to move. The area of the caves is very large & one can only select likely bits. The stalagmite is very hard in parts & I failed to do much with dynamite. Everett who worked the Borneo caves says that powder is better. There is much more deposit of lime[?] in the upper caves than the lower ones where leaves[?] would preserve less well at the same time. More animals would probably occur in the lower caves, & man would probably prefer the lower ones on the forest level than the less accessible upper ones. Indeed the wild fellows only use the lower ones so far as I know.

Ask Flower for my report. of course it is not a big affair but it gives some idea of the place. & the fauna.

Many thanks for the paper which arrived safely [3] It still seems odd to me to find Rhinoceros & elephants contemporaneous with modern English plants. Is it possible that the leaves[?] are derived from an older formation?

Yours as ever | Henry N. Ridley [signature]

[1]

BRITISH MUSEUM (NATURAL HISTORY),

CROMWELL ROAD,

LONDON: S.W.

June 29th July 12th, 1897

Dear Mr. Reid

I found when I returned several communications from Ridley about the Selangor[?] Caves, and also some specimens — none of any great value — a 'white snake' ^{as Benlenger}[?] ^{tells me} — not being peculiar to the caves, but a common and [2 words illeg.] species. Has he written to you? In case he has not I send you all I have from him, as you will I suppose [2] make some report to the [illeg.]ciation. Please return them as soon as you can. His speculation about the probable [illeg.] of the colouration of the snake will not hold good — as it is not peculiar to the cave.

What am I to do with the £40 I hold from the British [illeg.]ciation? — Ridley has not sent me any [3] account of expenditure.

Very truly yours | W. H. Flower [signature]

[1]

To Clement Reid, Esq.¹) Parkstone, Dorset. August 28th, 1897

My dear Clement Reid

I am afraid I neglected to send you congratulation on your marriage when I saw it in the paper, but I did not know where you were. I now congratulate you most heartily, & wish you every happiness. When the weather has got over the present fit of weeping my fie & I will come over to see you some day, and make your wife's acquaintance.

I return Ridley²'s letter, also Flower³'s. It is sad that the "white snake" is not new. Have they specimens sent by Ridley at the Museum, if not they may be mistaken. Anyhow if the snake is common elsewhere the peculiar habit of living in caves climbing up the limestone walls & catching bats, is so extraordinary that I should say it is in process of becoming a new species. I rather think as they almost always get snakes in spirits they ignore colour, and an out-of-door ground or tree snake would hardly be white — unless nocturnal.

The worked flakes at Blashenwell⁴ are interesting. We went no excursions this year as the weather was too oppressively hot. I & my wife went for a fortnight to N. Devon — Lynton & Ilfracombe — and enjoyed it much. The coast and river scenery is charming.

Ridley has sent me some more orchids in small cigar-boxes, & they have arrived in much better condition and I hope will do.

With best wishes | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace.

[1]

To Clement Reid, Esq.

Parkstone,

Dorset.

August 28th, 1897

My dear Clement Reid

I am afraid I neglected to send you congratulations on your marriage when I saw it in the paper, but I did not know where you were. I now congratulate you most heartily, & wish you every happiness. When the weather has got over the present fit of weeping my wife & I will come over to see you some day, and make your wife's acquaintance.

I return Ridley¹'s letter, also Flower²'s. It is sad that the "white snake" is not new. Have they specimens sent by Ridley at the Museum, if not they may be mistaken. Anyhow if the snake is common elsewhere the peculiar habit of living in caves climbing up the limestone walls & catching bats, is so extraordinary that I should say it is in process of becoming a new species. I rather think as they almost always get snakes in spirits they ignore colour, and an out-of-door ground or tree snake would hardly be white — unless nocturnal.

The worked flakes at Blashenwell³ are interesting. We went no excursions this year as the weather was too oppressively hot. I & my wife went for a fortnight to N. Devon — Lynton & Ilfracombe — and enjoyed it much. The coast and river scenery is charming.

Ridley has sent me some more orchids in small cigar-boxes, & they have arrived in much better condition and I hope will do.

With best wishes | Believe me | Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace.