WCP4040

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex.

March 28th. 1875

Dear Newton¹

MSS. received I am sorry you did not keep it longer as I sh^d. have profited by your fuller notes.

I have just looked over the Waders &c & find many valuable suggestions I shall adopt.

I think however in a work like mine I sh^d. not diverge from the classification of any new & authoritative work. Sclater² & Salvin,³ keep Chianiididae & Thinocoridae separate — you say they are true Charadridae. You may be right but it will be for me to follow S. & S’s arrangement.

[2] Again I cannot accept Glareola as "true Charadriidae", as it differs in so many external characters,- as much say as Motacillidae does from Muscicapidae,— yet I presume its skeleton is not nearer that of Charadrius, than ^{those of} these two last genera are to each other. I am quite disposed to admit that a worked diversity of sternum requires that two birds that sh^d. be placed in distinct families, but not that a marked similarity necessitates that they sh^d be united in one family— all external differences notwithstanding.

On looking hastily through the other groups I see many valuable hints. On group over there for final [3] corrections I may have to trouble you with a few guesses. I shall certainly separate — Menuridae and Atrichidae— as you propose. Do you consider these related,— that is in Atrichia never to Menura than to any other forms?

I will gladly separate Certhiidae & Sittidae. I presume the Sittidae of the "Handbook" will constitute the latter family.

I see you gave several suggested alterations in Sylviidae. These I have depended wholly on Tristram,⁴ who took the trouble to give me a complete classification of the whole family with all the genera & these contents— I give this all on his authority and should not therefore like to make alterations in it without consulting him again, which would cause more trouble & delay. These large, difficult, [4]⁵ and wide-spread families are of little importance in Geog-Dist & I do not propose to offer the classifications I adopt as having any authority, but merely as following that of the best writers on the subject.

I note you object to the position of some of the American families,— but in these I follow Sclater & Salvin who ought to know.

When I adopt divisions of families as you suggest, e.g. Emberigidae — I will ask you to look over them MSS. again to see if the genera are right.

I will send you the Neotrop. & Eth. Regions tomorrow to Cambridge[.]

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]