WCP3726

[1]

Old Orchard

Broadstone

Wimbourne

June 26th 1909

J.S Gamble Esq

Dear Sir,

Yours just received.

I write at once to ask you not to take any special trouble on my account, as I only require the total number of species as estimated by an expert like yourself. These numbers, for as many separate "floras" as I can collect, are for the purpose of ^a general argument [2] as to the dispersal of species over the globe quite distinct from the usual behavioural comparison of the proportion of the several national [?] in different regions.

I also wish to inform you that Mr A.W Hill gave me Dr Kordeuos [?] address, and he has sent me some very interesting figures from Java and the Malayan (Dutch) Indies generally, and I have written him again for some further explanations. I have also [3] heard from Mr G[?] of the Paris M[?] with our estimate of the Phaugous [?] of Indo- China (including Siam) as being about "7000 species".

This is rather more than the estimate I have for Burma 6000 but as the French have been in possession longer than is probably better known.

Both estimates are probably less than half the actual numbers in existence.

If besides giving me the number of species actually known or collected, you could give me that or any small area that has been been [4] particularly well collected. I should be obliged.

Dr Koordes sent me that of the island Kambangan (S.Java) where he says he collected 2400 species in an area of "3 square kilometres ", — (under 2 square miles!).

This seems to me impossible, as no other tract of ground I have heard of, has a similar number in less than 100 square miles; so I have written to ask him if he has not made an error.

Sir Joseph Hooker speaks of the "astonishing number of species in Penang" with 1813 species in 106 square miles.

Yours very truly | Alfred W Wallace (signature)