WCP2340

[1]¹

Jaffrey, New Hampshire, U.S.A.

Aug.[ust] 16th, 1876

Dear Sir,

Your letter of July 28th has just reached me. I am here in the country for a few weeks, and cannot get access to my note-books, which are locked up in Boston.

Insects (at least native ones) are decidedly scarce, both as regards species and individuals, on Taheiti[sic] and the Hawaiian Islands. It is true I did not regularly hunt for them, and at Taheiti my right hand being disabled interfered with collecting.

On Taheiti, I remarked three or more kinds of butterfly, rather striking forms, one having long narrow wings, but I did not succeed in capturing any.

On the Hawaiian Islands there seems to be but one kind of butterfly, a large and peculiar Vanessa; and this rare.

[2] I do not remember seeing any honey-sucking bird on Taheiti.

On the Hawaiian Islands, there are forests of Metrosideros and honey-sucking birds; I remember one ^{that is} captured by thrusting its extensile tongue against sweetened birdlime. Of the various remarkable smaller birds on the Hawaiian Island, some may be honey-sucking, but I did not examine. All small land-birds are rare.

Yours very faithfully | Charles Pickering [signature]

Alfred R. Wallace Esq

Rosehill, Dorking,

England.