WCP6225

Letter (WCP6225.7204)

[1]1

Geological Survey and Museum2,

JERMYN STREET3,

LONDON S. W.

9 Dec[ember]. 1911

Dear Mr Wallace4

Your specimen is undoubtedly a silicified wood5, & almost certainly derived from the Purbeck Beds6 (not a greywether7,8). I think that it is probably a cycad9; but the curious development of orbicular10 chalcedony11 throughout the wood & in every cell makes it a bit difficult to be certain. In general structure it is very like some of the American cycad-stems; but we do not seem to have any of the characteristic leaf-bases.

With kind remembrances | Yours sincerely | Clement Reid12 [signature]

1
Text at the top right side in another hand reads "WP16 | 1| 132 [1 of 2]". There is a faint stamp mark visible at the top left of the page.
2
The Geological Survey Museum is one of the oldest single science museums in the world, established in 1837, and was absorbed into the Natural History Museum in 1986. Wikipedia and NHM.
3
In 1851 the Museum moved to a new building, which was opened by Prince Albert, in Jermyn Street. Wikipedia.
4
Wallace, William Greenell (1871-1951). Alfred Russel Wallace's son.
5
Silicified: converted to or impregnated with silica, a mineral substance. Oxford English Dictionary.
6
The Purbeck Beds are a unit of sedimentary rocks exposed in southern England that spans the boundary between the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods, approximately 145 million years ago. Encyclopaedia Britannica.
7
Greywether: another name for sarcen or large sandstone blocks found in south and central England. Dictionary.com.
8
The page is torn diagonally on two from this point to the text "leaf-bases".
9
Cycad: A plant of the genus Cycas which gives its name to the Cycadaceae, a family of Gymnosperms, related to the Conifers, but in appearance resembling palms, and having affinity with tree-ferns. OED.
10
Orbicular: containing spheroidal includions. OED.
11
Chalcedony: a precious or semi-precious stone. OED.
12
Reid, Clement (1853-1916). British geologist and paleobotanist. Wikipedia.

Editorial information

Status: Draft transcription [Letter (WCP6225.7204)]

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

Revision history

Transcribed by Ghosh, Susan [2018-08-15]

Envelope (WCP6225.7205)

Envelope addressed to "W. G. Wallace, Esqr, Old Orchard, Broadstone, Dorset", with stamp, postmarked "LONDON | DEC 9 11 | 5:15PM"; "Geological Survey and Museum" printed on front of envelope. [Envelope (WCP6225.7205)]

Please cite as “WCP6225,” in Beccaloni, G. W. (ed.), Ɛpsilon: The Alfred Russel Wallace Collection accessed on 27 April 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/wallace/letters/WCP6225