WCP2385

[1]

Parsonage

Circular Head

Tasmania

Dec[ember] 20. 1878

My dear Sir,

I received your bin of charming beetles quite safely for which please accept my best thanks[.] I need not say how glad I am to have them, both as an addition to my collection and for other reasons the "Cyphagus [1 word illeg.] Calepyya" from Kē is by far the handsomest beetle I possess.

I shall have much pleasure in forwarding you [2] some Tasmanian seeds, as desired, together with all the tubers of orchids that can be had — I have marked several of these latter, now in flower intending to move them shortly I have written to a friend in the South of the Island to get me some species peculiar to that locality. I may mention that the "plains" where these things grew are sandy flats of very poor soil and collected only a few feet above high tide mark above the coast and during the winter they use after colder water and in summer [3] extremely dry — this sh[oul]d be borne in mind by anyone trying to acclimatise the plants. However if those I propose sending shortly should not succeed I shall have much pleasure in sending a further supply — & I will forward you any specimens of natural history you may require that can be had here too. I beg you will command me — as I shall be most happy to serve you in any way "Tropical nature" is I see advertised in "nature" [4] and I hope to get it shortly again thanking you for your kind letter and prompt reply to my request which has given me much pleasure and hoping that you will not hesitate to ask me for anything that can be had here[.]

Believe me | very truly yours | Edward D. Atkinson¹[signature]

A. R. Wallace Esq. F. R. S. &c.