WCP2526

[1]¹

ECONOMIC ENTOMOLY

W. M. WHEELER

C. T. BRUES

GENETICS

W. E. CASTLE (ZOÖL.)

E. M. EAST (BOT.)

COMPARATIVE PATHOLOGY

THEOBALD SMITH

HARVARD UNIVERSITY

BUSSEY INSTITUTION

FOREST HILLS, MASS.

Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace.

Dear Sir:

It is very great presumption for me to write to you, but during my life I have read so much that you have written that it seems that I know you already. Two years ago when I was in Brazil I met a Rev. Mr. Moss,² a clergyman of the Church of England who knew you, and asked him whether it would he out’ of the way and he said it would not and here I have talked about you with Mr. [illeg.] and he said that you would not object to a letter.

In 1911, when I graduated from Stanford University, I had the opportunity of going to Brazil with J. G. Branner. We spent three months on the east coast and then I was able to, in company with a companion to go to the river that I always considered as belonging to you and Bates.³ We went to Manaos and a little way up to Rio Negro, and afterward went up to Rio Madeira about eight hundred miles. All of my time was spent collecting insects, mostly beetles and ants, to the study of the latter of which I am devoting my time. Conditions on the Amazon have changed but little since you wrote the account of your travels there, except for the fine steamboat service. But going up the Madeira we had accommodations somewhat similar to those you found on the Rio Negro. We stayed two months along the new railroad that was being built, and when they were felling trees along the right of the way, I had the opportunity of collecting in the tree tops, with very good results. Most of my material is in the hands of specialists for study, and a great deal of it has proved to be new. Among the ants are [2] many of that have not been found since Bates first took them, as well as numerous new forms. Seventeen species of Eciton were found. What would interest you is a species of the primitive genus of Rhopalopone hitherto known only from the Indo Malayan region, and another of Orectognathus, known before only from New Zealand, both of which are additional evidence of the ancient Antarctic connection with the Australian region.

This ^Last winter I spent four months in Haiti, and as so little collecting had been done there, the results are proving to be of great interest. Two new species of Pecipatus turned up. In the ant collection thirty six forms were undescribed, some of them being primitive species, relicts of the ancient Antillian fauna, though a great many are recently developed from other known Central and South American forms.

I have soon to go to Malay Archipelago, and it is my ambition to stay Kuching, just where your house was, and catch and study ants and beetles.

Ever since I could read, your works have been an inspiration to me and I am trying in a way to do the same kind of work that you have done, first to get a knowledge of the fauna and then work on geographical distribution.

Please pardon my boldness at writing to you. I have written to you in Brazil, in Haiti and Mexico, but each time have become ashamed and torn up the letter, but I have just finished the rereading your account of your life and feel as though I know you and will mail this before I change my mind.

Respectfully yours, | Wm M. Mann.⁴ [signature]