Ɛpsilon

WCP4316

Letter (WCP4316.4457)

[1]

Down,

Beckenham, Kent.

July 9th [1873]1

My dear Wallace

Dr. G. Krefft2 has sent me the enclosed3from Sydney. A nurseryman saw a caterpillar feeding on a plant & covered the whole up, but when he searched for the cocoon, was long before he cd. find it, so good was its imitation in colour & form to the leaf to which it was attached. I hope that the World goes well with you. — Do not trouble yourself by acknowledging this.

Ever yours | Ch. Darwin4 [signature]

1
The year is established by the relationship between this letter and one from Gerard Krefft to CD, 3 May 1873. See Darwin Correspondence Project, <https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/DCP-LETT-8895.xml>
2
Krefft, Johann Ludwig Gerard ("Louis", also "Gerard") (1830-1881). German-born zoologist and museum curator working in Australia.
3
Gerard Krefft had enclosed a chrysalis with his letter to CD. See note 1.
4
Darwin, Charles Robert (1809-1882). British naturalist, geologist and author, notably of On the Origin of Species (1859).

Editorial information

Status: Edited (but not proofed) transcription [Letter (WCP4316.4457)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Lord, Annette [2012-07-11] Transcription checked by Lucas, Paula [2020-03-19] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Published letter (WCP4316.6639)

[1] [p. 316]

Down, Beckenham, Kent

July 9

My dear Wallace, — Dr. G. Krefft has sent me the enclosed from Sydney. A nurseryman saw a caterpillar feeding on a plant and covered the whole up, but, when he searched for the cocoon [pupa], was long before he could find it, so good was its imitation, in colour and form, of the leaf to which it was attached.

I hope that the world goes well with you. Do not trouble yourself by acknowledging this. — Ever yours,

Ch. Darwin

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Published letter (WCP4316.6639)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Sherwood, Danni [2020-07-28] Transcription checked by Lo, Yen [2020-10-30] Transcription checked by Chua, Christine [2026-04-18]

Please cite as “WCP4316,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP4316