WCP3745

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex.

April 9th. 1875

My dear Flower¹

As one of the preliminary chapters to my book on the Geog. Dist. of Animals² (now nearly completed) I have given a sketch of the Tertiary fauna and endeavoured to point out its more important bearings on the subject of distribution. I have taken my facts chiefly from Gervais,³ Gaudry,⁴ Owen,^{5 Falconer 6,} Leidy,⁶ and Lund⁷ with a few additional forms from their works.

Having no practical knowledge of osteology, I fear I may have made some important errors. Names of these extinct forms seem to be often vague and fluctuating, with [2] a synonymy as complex as that of living forms, and I have no doubt noticed the same animal or [illeg.] under different names. Again I see there is great diversity of opinions as to the classification of the genera or families. Also as to the relations of the extinct forms to each other & to living forms.

Have you spare time enough to read over my MSS. as for as it treats of Mammalia? It is rather long (56 pp. pretty full) but I think easy reading. If you can without inconvenience spare an evening to it, & would kindly note in pencil [3] or red or blue ink any corrections of names, or affinities, — mark out names which are quite undefined & represent nothing, & insert any of importance wh. are omitted, with just a word as to their relations — you would greatly oblige me.

As I have now done with that subject till final corrections for press, I would send you the MSS. whenever convenient to you any time this or next month, or even June.

Hoping you have now quite recovered your health[.]

I remain | yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Prof. W. Flower.