Ɛpsilon

WCP4046

Letter (WCP4046.3990)

[1]1

The Dell, Grays, Essex

April 26th 1875

Dear Newton2

I should wish to adopt the Family Emberizidae, if I may quote you for the constitution of it. You have worked the following genera as belonging to it.

Emberzia...... Junco

Plectrphanes...... Pipilo

Fringillaria...... Zonotrichia

Enspiza...... Spermophilia

Calamospezia...... ? [illeg.]

? Citrinella (= [illeg.])

Neither Baird,3 Sclater4 & Salvin,5 was Buonaparte allowed those in second columns to form part of Embergidae or to come any where near Emberizia.

Will you give me a list of [2] the genera you include in Emberizidae referring to the Hand List Genera & subgenera for identification & I will give it as your arrangement of the family, but I cannot break up Sclater's genera by guess.

I dont want to hurry you but I shall be glad of the “Neotropical" & "Ethiopian" MSS. as soon as convenient, as I now want to get some of the families & tables in order.

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

[3] Sclater has 56 genera of Fringillidae. Can you tell me the names (or nos.) of all which shd. go into Emberigidae?

A.R.W.

[4]6

1
In Newton’s handwriting, “Nomenclature Avium 1-51 inclined.”
2
Newton, Alfred (1829-1907). British zoologist and ornithologist. Founding member of the British Ornithologists' Union.
3
Baird, Spencer Fullerton (1823-1887). American naturalist and ornithologist. Director of the US National Museum (Smithsonian Institution), 1850-78.
4
Sclater, Philip Lutley (1829-1913). British lawyer, zoologist and ornithologist, secretary to the Zoological Society of London.
5
Salvin, Osbert (1835-1898). British naturalist, ornithologist and herpetologist.
6
In Newton’s handwriting, “A.R. Wallace, April 26/28 /75. Answered April 28/75.” See WCP2317. https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP2317

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP4046.3990)]

For more information about the transcriptions and metadata, see https://wallaceletters.myspecies.info/content/epsilon

Revision history

Transcribed by Moody, Liz [2014-05-02] Transcription checked by Benny, Ruth [2014-05-02] Transcription checked by Sherwood, Danni [2020-08-10] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP4046,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4046