WCP747

[1]¹

Broadstone, <Wimborne>²

Nov[ember]: 24th <1905>³

My dear Fred

I wrote you ^by last Friday<'s> <mail?> with copy of D^r. Heath's⁴ letter about set<s> <of> beetles. Also D^r. Jordan's⁵ instructions to send moths. Also a few ideas of <my> own. I have since got your short <note?> of Oct. 31 saying you go to S[an]^te Cat[alina]. in <?> weeks more.! I hope so! I have since had a reply from Mr. Schill⁶<?> <?> (<?> my explanatory letter) of which I enc<lose> <a> copy, which is also I think satisfact<ory> as he is evidently still eager to buy beetles as he feels most interest in <them.?> <It?> will, I think, be best to send hi<m> <the?> 2nd. set of the four families he name<d> <which?> will include a good lot, as the P<hytophages> are included and the Elaters.⁷ <It?> <is?> curious that Mr. Schill seems n<ot?> <?> <Santa?> Catalina. I wonder if any goo<d?> <?> has already been there. <?> that there are <?>⁸ [2] <?> as it will make it pleasanter & <?> for you. A map I have of the forests & <pl>ains[?] of the globe shows campo immediately south of the Orinoco Delta in a strip of some <?>0 miles wide, but I should think this must be <a> mistake. However you will know before <yo>u receive this. As you will have to send all your Lep[idoptera]s. and Col[eopter]^a. in paper or sawdust, you <w>ill be able to keep a set of all your butterflies, <the?> larger moths, and the best families of beetles <in?> your store boxes for reference, which you will <fi>nd immensely interesting and instructive, as <we>ll as necessary in learning what species are <n>ew or rare. In order to do this you must <sen>d[?] a locality ticket with a species number <for?> each species you send, those for the Leps. <place>d[?] in the paper with every specimen, and <for?> the Col^a. placed under each specimen, <and to prevent?> these ^latter f getting misplaced it would <be well to use?> small boxes and lay a sheet <?> <?> the layers of [3] beetles. Then as each of these is taken <out?> to be pinned there will be the numbere<d> locality-ticket underneath to be at onc<e> pinned with it. Round tickets, cut with <a> 3/8 inch or 1/2 inch punch, are best, but if <you> have not such a punch, then square la<bels> like those enclosed will do. (Sa. Cat.) wo<uld> be a good an abbreviation, but whate<ver> you adopt, keep strictly to it as you h<?> <may?> be, later, at San Carlos, or Santa Clara <,> & will want a definite abbreviation fo<r> <each.?>

The sample I send may seem large, bu<t> <they?> have the advantage of not being so easily <?> or mislaid as very small ones, and a<re> better for distinctness of name and for <?> numbers of species.

Of course you will keep a Registe<r> <of> each species as captured — with nu<mber>[?] date, station, and remarks — <?> column for "Family" <?> name when <?> [4]⁹ <?> keep a short Collecting journal, <not>ing down every day the number of <sp>ecies and specimens of Butterflies, Moths, Beetles, and Birds — with a note of <t>he weather, and in exceptionally good <?>ses the numbers of species of the more <im>portant families, with special notes <on?> habits. These two registers will be of <im>mense interest to you in future years, <an>d when you have your ^note books properly <labe>led[?] & always at hand on your work <ta>ble[?] will take a very little time either <in> the evening or the following morning, to <m>ake the entries. It is to me a great <regr>et[?] that Bates has not given more details <of> this kind in his book, which would have <been> <o>f immense interest to every collector.¹⁰ <?> on looking through his book, that <?> of collecting places were those <?> of paths and roads <?> abundance of [5]¹¹ <?>rts or lakes, numerous new clearings <in> forest — all near at hand. Also <?> <?>ty of the Indians and their children. <I> hope you will find all these advantages <at?> Santa Catalina.

<I> found in an old note-book the other <da>y the enclosed copy of figure of one <of> Bates' new Papilios from Ega.¹² You <ar>e not likely to find the same species, <bu>t you will probably find some very near to it, which may perhaps be new. As you have had so much delay in leaving <Tri>nidad I hope yo have been able to make <up?> a few good skins of small birds and <hav>e sent them to Mr. Ernst Hartert,¹³ Tring, <?> <s>pecimens of your work, as you will receive instructions from him, and <?> to begin preparing skins in the <ma>nner[?] they wish, as they seem to <be very?> <part>icular[?]. They no doubt want <?> <a>gainst having¹⁴ [6]¹⁵ native skins sent, as I was <?> have been sent for many y<ears> <?> <from?> Trinidad, but coming from va<rious> parts of the Mainland.

Have you begun to learn Spanish y<et> [?] There will no doubt be many Spanish people at St^a. Catalina, and if there is <a> hunter of this kind who cannot speak English, it would be a good thing <for> you to get him to shoot birds for <you> & then you would be obliged to lear<n> Spanish to speak to him and would get on. It is necessary to learn all polite phrases and compliments in co<mmon> use, as Spaniards are very particular <?> especially: but even the lowest class<es> appreciate "polite language" (as do <we)?> and in both countries, this is often of <great?> importance, even to the saving[?] <of life?>

Hoping, before 'Xmas to hear <that your are?> in the promised la<nd,>

Yours very truly | [Alfred R. Wallace]¹⁶

No doubt Capt. Boynton speaks Spanish and can help you.^{17, 18}