WCP4111

[1]

5 Westbourne Grove Terrace, W.

Friday evening [23 Jan. 1863?]¹

My dear Mr Darwin

It has just occurred to me, that I have seen insects on Melastomas². A small shrubby species is abundant in all the cleared waste grounds in the Malay Islands, & I now distinctly recollect having frequently taken small Cetoniadae³ of the genus Valgus from the flowers. The large wood boring bees (Xylocopa) also visit the flowers, & the whole plants often swarm with small black ants.

I remember also distinctly [2] having seen the flowers much eaten by insects.

The plant however is so common close to Singapore that I will write to one my friends there to observe & make a list of all the insects that visit it.⁴

Hoping these few facts may be useful.

I Remain | My dear Mr Darwin | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Charles Darwin Esq