WCP4745

[1]

The Dell, Grays, Essex.

April 12th. 1876

My dear Sir

Thank you very much for the interesting series of papers you have been so good as to send me, with your photograph. I find I have only one of my Cartes[?] left & that not a very good one, but as it is uncertain how soon I may get another I send it to you.

I have been told that you are the most likely person to give me some information on the Entomology of the Pacific [2] islands about which hardly anything is known in England. I should be much obliged if you would give me a sketch of what is known of the Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera of the following islands

1. The Sandwich Islands

2. The Society and Marquesas Is[lands].

3. The Galapagos

I do not care about species or even genera, but a rough idea of the numbers of Diurnal and Nocturnal Lepidoptera, and of Bees, Wasps, and Ichneumonidae or any Hymenoptera, — as well as [3] some notion of which groups, are abundant or rare individually. Any ideas you ^may have gained from persons who have visited these islands would be as useful to me as statements of the number of known species.

I should also like to know if any American Botanists have written anything on the plants of 2. and 3., and if copies of papers can be obtained I sh[oul]^d like to have these.

I am in want of information on these subjects, for an address I am preparing for the British Association.

Are you aware whether there are any N. American flowers which are mainly or exclusively fertilised [4] by Humming Birds?

Hoping it will not inconvenience you to give me the information required, — (the most condensed form will do.)

I remain | Dear Sir | Yours very faithfully | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

Sam[ue]l Scudder Esq.