WCP4047

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex.

May 4th. 1878

Dear Newton¹

MSS. received. I see you have not made so many notes as before, but most of them will be attended to. You tell me to remark on extinction of Birds in W. Indies during last 100 years, but you do not say where I am to find any record of such extinction.

I have been going over all the Nearctic genera of birds again carefully, — & I am more than ever convinced of the distinctness [2] of the Nearctic region & shall make my list of peculiar or highly characteristic genera very much larger.

Pray tell me whose genera of European birds I am to adopt. Your own edition of Blasius' list seems to be hopelessly wrong, according to your criticisms. Is these any totally correct work? If not can you let me have your ^private list of genera, referring to Hand list subgenera for synonyms & identification?

[3] From Monday next for three weeks, I shall have to lay my work aside for S. Kensington Ex^m. papers, — so if it is slightest use to you, keep the "Ethiopian" MSS. another fortnight; — & you may defer your information about European or Palaearctic lists till then if you like.

I think if adopting "Hayti" throughout as so much shorter & easier to pronounce, as well as more distinctive than - St. Domingo.

A course of reading necessary to get up such information over the whole world would delay my book indefinitely.²

Are “Ph.D”’s not recognisable in England? Is “D^r.” to be confined to “M.D.s”. Huxley³ writes “D^r. Scalter” in “Alectormorphae”.. Pray enlighten me. Are “Professors” at private schools or Colleges recognisable?⁴

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

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