WCP6605

[1]

Old Orchard,

Broadstone,

Wimborne.

Feb^y 27th. 1909

Mr dear Clement Reid

I have just been reading Mrs. Reid's very interesting paper in the Linn. Soc. Journal about disintegrating peat. Each year or two for the last 10..12 years men come round with small carts of peat which they sell for burning. It is very tough, & hard to break. I have heard that it comes from Somersetshire, & also from Ireland — which is right I do not know.

The men seem secretive about it!¹

I have the remnant of a lot I had 2 years back so [can] send a bit, & if you like can [2] send you a whole brick of it as it comes ^{or several}. It is not very good for burning as it makes hardly any flame but only smoulders away.

I write to Jermyn Street as I do not know whether you have left Cornwall.

Can you tell me in what recent book I can find a good summary of the present knowledge of Palaeontology — something like the "Table of British Fossils" at end of Lyell's "Student's Elements" — but for the whole World, & up to date. Or any book that will give the same information in any other easily [3] accessible form. I want it for the purpose of a book I am preparing.

If you are ever passing this way in the summer I shall be very much pleased to see you. With kind remembrances to Mrs Reid,

Yours very truly | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]