WCP2532

[1]¹

D^r Sir

In reading your most interesting book on Island Life² I am tempted to offer a few remarks, which if not very valuable, will I trust be not unacceptable as contribution towards personally observed facts in Natural Hist.

Among the Jays I would ask why is it that the rufus Perisoreus infarustus³ or canadensis Jay common in the Osterdal and [3 words illeg.] districts of[illeg.] — shd be confined to that county & parts of Russia. While they are not found in England or Germany or Switzerland as residents, in districts equally well suited to their habits[.]

2^nd The assimilation of the British grouse to the tetrao [illeg.] is often complete & I have shot them with not only white feathers in [2] quite a great abundance on the legs & abdomen as the latter – but also with the five quill feathers of the wing - which never changes in the villa grouse also thus permanently altered. On the other hand. I have found the Salicete in low wooded situation still remaining in summer & always during the winter months.

The distinction seems therefore not only slight but easily reversible. & not yet even permanent from which I leave you to draw the scientific conclusions.

"With all the other grouse Dets. Grouse, Hazel Hen [illeg.] chickens — & Ptarmigans. is the difference is far greater & permanent. still they [3] will breed together occasionally to produce Hybreds [sic].

I was rather surprised to find that you regard the true [illeg.] ferox as only existing in Gt. Britain — I never could recognize any true distinction between the trout of Loch Aus & other Large Scotch Lakes at low levels – and those of the [illeg.] & [3 words illeg.] and Geneva Majjiore & Garda– and I have always regarded them as ferose properly defined tho varying greatly in size — colour — & sound -peculiar habits in each locality —

"Above 2000 ft in Norway and in the highest central Lakes of Ireland — The Lake Trout is that nearly [4] equal in size to the feron totally distinct in character — living mostly in shallow water — on the [illeg.] & their larvae.

"viz they sh^d never appear in the large Lakes at lower levels, it is hard to conjecture for the streams passing thro them usually flow into the same basin.

"Lastly in the causes producing glacial climates & as the free entrance of the Arctic current into the Baltic by the gulf of Finland been duly considered in connection with the observed fact that vast lateral ridges of sea borne sand and detritus left by the Oceanic Glacier in Icebergs are also [5] lying upon the crest of the [illeg.] 3500 ft high near [illeg.] in Osterdal.

I am not aware that these remarkable deposits have been scientifically reported on — or what inference may be safely drawn from it, but if the submersion of East Norway & Sweden was of such a character, the amount of icy water flowing thro such a channel must have been very considerable, and as it would have covered all the low country up to the foot of the Alps, the resulting climate must have been of considerable severity. I only submit [6] these remarks in a spirit of pure investigation & observation, to your far more trained judgt and I can only say that any correction or explanation you may think it worth while to give will be gratefully accepted by:—

Yrs vy faithfully | F. S. Corrance³ [signature]

Parham Hall

Wickham M^kt

Suffolk

N.B – Being at present on my way to Spain and Tangiers — I send county address—

Jan 14th