WCP740

[1]

Broadstone, Wimborne

August 1st. 1905

My dear Fred¹

Yours of July 14 <received> telling of your preparations for being off for Barrancas, to stay a few weeks. I am glad to hear this [MS burned] it may have a somewhat diff<erent> fauna, and if you find it <good> you can easily go there again after a few months at S. Cata<lina.> I should not be surprised if <it> did not turn out to be the best place — most distinct from Trin. & B. G<uiana.>

You seem to have got a fair [MS burned] of shells, but it ^is no good sending [MS burned] names, as I know none of <them> but I am always glad to <know> how many species you <have> [MS burned]. As to getting them out of [MS burned] [2] the way I adopted was this. Put them in a basin with some warm water, such as you would wash in; then add very slowly hot water, when they will come out to their fullest extent. Then have a kettle of hot boiling water ready, fill up the basin rapidly, when they die without contracting, & will then generally come out entire, with a little care. It saves an immense deal of trouble afterwards. If they can’t be got out this way, I w^d. try boiling <for> some time till well cooked; <then> perhaps they would be easier <to> get out whole, like periwinkles &c. <I am> glad to hear that <Santa Cata>lina is an old settlement [3] but I sh^d. think Barrancas as older [MS burned] as on my map it has a road marked from it to Uracoa inland.

The post out from here is, f[MS burned] this month, a day and a half later, than it used to be.

I am afraid from what you say that your next letter will also be from Belmont instead of <from> Barrancas! We have had ho[MS burned] a great drought — for nearly 3 months only two small spells <of> rain not enoughl to moisten the ground, so that many of <my> choice plants are withering or dying & vegetables & fruit <are> suffering greatly.

I do really <long to hear> [4] of your doings & captures on the mighty Orinoko! I don’t consider you have really seen South American Insect fauna yet. I should like to hear roughly how many species of beetles you got in Trinidad — how many Longicorns — Carabidae — & Buprestidae. It will serve as a comparison with the mainland, when you have been there a half-year.

Do be careful to get good wholesome food or you will be ill again!

Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]

[MS burned] said whether you have learned any [MS burned] Tell me how many English