WCP824

[1] [p. 63]

Copy of

An Entomological letter from

Mr H[enry]. W[alter]. Bates to A. R. Wallace

____________________

Tunantins [Tonantins] — Upper Amazon, — 19 Nov[embe]^r 1856

Dear Wallace.

I rec[eive]^d: your kind & very interesting letter — dated "Singapore Ap[ri]l 30 & May 10:"¹ — on the 7^th ins[tan]^t2 as I was in the act of embarking on board the steamer³ at Ega [Tefé] for this village— You will be anxious to know what I have done in this new locality— but I will leave this to the end of the letter & proceed to give you some notes on what I have done since Nov[embe]r 26. 1851 the date of arrival at Santarem [Santarém] on my 2^nd journey to the interior— On the 17. Oct: last, at Ega, I made an enumeration of the species I had taken since Nov[embe]r: 1851— At that time I had my boxes empty[,] the whole of my private collections having been sent from Pará before I started from thence. Also at the end of 1854 I sent ^home my private collections of many groups (= Neuroptera— Bees & wasps & Ichneumons, &c Staphylini, smaller Carabides &c)— Explaining this I give you my statistics: —

[2] [p. 64]

"Lepidoptera"		"Coleoptera"			"		2357
Papilio —	25 species	Cicindelides.		38 species	Lamellicornes —		230 species
Heliconiae.	44 "	Carabides —		272 "	viz: Copridae-	112
Pieridae.	40 "	Staphylini —		120 "	Cetoniadae-	19
Nymphalidae.	147 "	Hydradephaga		30 "	Rutilae —	75
Satyrides.	85 "	Philhydrida			Melolonthidae
Erycinides.	280 "	Nitidules &c		60 "	Dynastides	12
Theclae —	140 "	Histero. Scaphide		30 "	Passali—	12
Hesperides —	192 "	Pselaphi		25 "	Malacodermes___		120 "
	953 "	Seydmeni			Brenthi_________		30 "
		Cleri —		84 "	Coccinellides____		30 "
Sphinges — —	8 "	Heteromera		280 "	Scolytides &c ___		25 "
Castriae (?) —	8 "	Curculionides		700 about	Cyclica_________		620 "
Sesiae —	16 "	Longicornes		473 "	Erotyli_________		160 "
Bombyces —	47 "	Viz:= Prioni	19				3572
Glaucophiles(?)	182 "	Cerambycidae	198
Noctuides —	148 "	Lamiae	251		Coleoptera		3572
Geometrides —	76 "	Lepturae	5		Nocturnal Lepidoptera		635
Micro-Leps:- -	150 about	Elaterides —		150	Diurnal L[epidoptera]—		953
	635	Buprestides —		95	Other orders —		660
		⅔ rds. under 3 lines long4			Species of Insects		5820 species
				2357

Bees — 43 species	= Fossores — 190	= Homoptera 40	=
	Orthoptera 15	= Hemiptera 260	= 660 species
Wasps 12 "	= Neuroptera 40	= Diptera 60	=

______________________________________________________________

I have not separated the Santarem & Tapajos [Tapajós] collections from the Ega one — but all the more important families are ticketed— Yet I regret not having placed a "locality ticket" to the whole of the species, because I shall find some difficulty in fixing the geographical distribution, with certainty, in many cases—

Santarem — the lower Tapajos (to 100 miles up) & Villa-nova⁵ — are all very similar in their productions & form a strongly marked region in the Amazonian valley — extremely different [3] [p. 65] from Pará — Cametá & from Ega. It is also different from the upper Tapajos (i.e. the river Cupari —) which I explored well. There we find many upper Amazon species— I find a difficulty, however, at present, in forming a satisfactory generalization on this matter: because there are such things as a difference in Station (= soil — vegetation &c) in regions presenting, really, on the whole, but one zoological character. This difficult question I cannot discuss now but I hope to come to some deeply interesting results afterwards —

In the upper Tapajos about 8 or 10 of the Ega Nymphalidae occur, but not numerously. The soil & forest is of the same character — great depth of vegetable mould and as, a character of the vegetation, the Cacao ^there flourishes— In diurnal Lepidop[tera]: the genus Calydna(?) offers us excellent data— The metiopolis [sic](?)⁶ of the 8 or 10 known sp[ecies]: is Altar do Chāo [Alter do Chão] 25 Miles from Santarem— In the Cupari only 1 species is found whilst at Villa-nova nearly all the sp[ecies]: occur— At Ega I have only found one individual of the genus — a species, I think, [4] [p. 66] generally distributed & I believe we ^we found it once or twice at Pará—

What you say about the similarity of the species between Malacca & several ^{of the} Islands of the Archipelago — compared with the great difference we find at different points & near on opposite sides of the Amazon — suggests the hypothesis that Central S. America is a region of elevation — formerly consisting of Islands long isolated & containing separate Faunas — whilst the Eastern Archipelago is a region of depression with its opposite results — but I really do not know if the Archipelago is known by Geologists to be of this character— Without having the comparisons of the European Collections from different Countries I can form no satisfactory idea on these subjects — and this is a motive which will induce me to make a voyage to England before long—

My list of species of Coleoptera appear to be considerably larger than yours but it is the result of a much longer period ‘collecting’ & I think that in the same time you [5] [p. 67] would get at least as large a number, so that, upon the whole, the 2 parts of the world are very similar as to numbers of species; as to size & beauty you only will be able to say which is superior. In "Cicindelides" — The genus "Cicindela" here — about 6 sp[ecies]: — are all small & obscure, very inferior to C. campestris of England— The "Megacephalae" are a splendid series — 15 species — some "Odontocheilae" of the upper Amazon are rich in metallic lustre. But, of this group, the "Ctenostomae" are the grandest— I have 9 sp[ecies]: 3 of which, are from Ega, are unique & probably new to science.

In "Carabides" — I think you would be astonished to see my coll[ection]: having found so few during your sojourn in this Country. The "Agras" — 15 or 20 sp[ecies]: — of Ega are grand. Some more than 1 inch long — others of most brilliant colors & curious forms— All the "Brachinides" are curious, & very many fine things — numbers of Calleidae — Lebiae &c. I have also taken lately some things from Boleti, on huge trees, w[hic]^h. appear to [6] [p. 68] me to come near your "Thyreopterae"⁷— They are very broad & flat — 4-6 lines long — yellow, orange & black spotted— I have 2 very handsome sp[ecies] of those besides 3 "Chelonodemae" which are very similar — & some black ones; besides, at least, a doz[en]: other metallic ones w[hic]^h are similar to "Coptodera" — but [one illeg. word crossed out] have not the generic characters of that genus. You will thus see that I have found plenty of new forms among the "Brachinidae"—

In "Scaritidae" I have found a great n^o of sp[ecies]: & some quite new genera. In the "Staphylini" I have turned up a great n^o. of sp[ecies]:— You will be surprised to see so many sp[ecies]: of "Cetoniadae"[;] they are chiefly "Gymnetis". I have found a doz[en]: of a very fine Allorhina(?) reminding one of the Goliathi in the processes of head of ♂.

The list of "Longicornes" is rich — I think I have 60 or 80 species from Carepi [Cupari] & Pará, in my Coll[ection]: at London, not since found— They are not, as a [7] [p. 69] Collection, large or showy species; about 20 sp[ecies]: pass 1 ½ inch — & ¾^ths of the whole will be from 4 to 6 or 8 lines. Their general character is elegance of form & color— You will see by part 2 of A[dam]. Whites’ "Longicornes" (Brit[ish] Mus[eum] Cat[alogue])⁸ that there are 62 sp[ecies]: new sp[ecies] of mine described— in the genera there treated upon, I feel sure that I have 30 more, new, unique specimens— Ega is very rich in Longicornes & in all the Families of Coleoptera: it would be difficult, ^indeed, to find anywhere a spot so rich in Entomology: being equally rich in Lepidoptera as in Coleoptera. There are 18 sp[ecies]. of Papilio within ½ a mile of the Town. New, & fine, things turned up daily after (altogether) 23 months of very close collecting, & the last day I went out I found a New Longicorn ("Clytus.") —

Since June last I register daily my captures— In 1851 I did the same but on a defective place —

Here is a copy of some of my day’s [8] [p. 70] work— I will, firstly, give you some of my very best days: —

≡ Augt: 28/[18]56 = Insects 206 (of w[hic]h 114 minute Coleop[tera]s:)
New sp[ecies]:	1 sphinx.		N[ew]. S[pecies].		1 Coccinella. (large)
	1 large Bombyx.				1 Pinophilus. ——
	1 Scarites.				(largest sp[ecies]: yet taken)
	1 Macraspis.				1 Ophites.(?)
	2 Cyclocephalae				1 Hydrophilus.
	(1 very beautiful)				1 Anthicus (horned sp[ecies]:)
					1 Scaritide (curious thing)
	1 Cantharis				2 Curculionides.
	magnificent				1 Pselaphide(quite new. G[enus]:)
					1 clavigeride [clavigerida] (new. G[enus]:)
	1 Opatride.			besides many new things in
	1 Licinus?			minute Pselaphidae, all found
	1 Angocoris (?)			on the beach after a very high wind—

≡ Augt 29 = Insects 120 (of w[hic]h 35 minute Coleop[ter]a):
N[ew]. s[pecies]:	1 Prionide.	1 Scarites.
	quite a N[ew].	1 Philochlaenia (?)
	G[enus] to me,	1 Canthecona (?) 3 fine, large
	near "Ctenoscelis"	1 Edeoside (?) — Hemipterae.
	1 Mesomphalia.	1 Mictide —
	2 Curculionidae.	(day’s search on beach — after a high wind)

Here are my last day’s in Ega: —

		1 Erycinide.
= Octr 24 = Insects 12	77 N[ew].	1 Trogositide.	warm & moist.
minute Col[eoptera]: 65	S[pecies].	1 Hydroporus.
		2 Curculionidae.

= Oct 25

= Insects 26 —

No. New: Sp[ecies]:

(warm & moist)

= Octr: 26

= very heavy rain for 24 hours —

= Oct: 27 = Insects 30 minute Col[eoptera]: 10	40 N[ew].	1 Bruchide	sunny but
	S[pecies].	(grand)	very moist.

[9] [p. 71]

= Octr: 28

= Insects 20 —

N[ew]. Sp[ecies].

1 Lamiidae (very fine thing) sunny.

= Oct: 29	= Insects 25 —	N[ew] Sp[ecies]	1. Lamiidae 1. Bruchide	1. Bombyx 1. Mantispa(?)
	(hot — sunny between brief showers)

= Octr: 30	= Insects 20 —		N[ew]. Sp[ecies].		1. Longicorne	(cloudy & warm)
= Octr 31		= (cloudy & warm) & was preparing for voyage)

Resumé for Octr.

= Worked 25 days. = Insects — Total specimens 835. = New Diurnes — 5. = " Longicornes — 7. = " species — 50 in all..

= Nov: 2

= Insects 13:

N[ew] Sp[ecies]

1 Longicorne 1 Languria (?) 1 Tabanus

sunny.

Note = My n^o of specimens is much less than yours[.]

this results from my having already taken sufficient of all the species that are abundant in this Locality.

_____________________________________________________________

Now a few words about Tunantins— I chose this place for a visit because it lies on the North bank of the river (Amazon), on the terra firma w[hic]^h is continuous with the bank of the Japurá up to the Andes; & is separated [10] [p. 72] from Ega by the vast expanse of low, flooded lands forming the delta, of the Japurá, Juruá &c— I thought also that 1 or 2 months search would decide whether the species change & become finer every 100 or 200 miles nearer the Andes, as our friends in London suppose— I arrived here on the 11th (Nov^r /[18]56) & began to work on the 12^th — so I have had 8 days collecting.

I am sorry to find that insects of all kinds are very scarce, a fact w[hic]^h I cannot explain as the grounds are most excellent — much varied — swamp — dry forest — ygapó⁹ — clay soil — sandy soil — magnificent forest paths, in fact all that could be desired— A good n^o of the species w[hic]^h 1^st turned up were new and when I do find a beetle in the woods it is almost sure to be a new one = The conclusion is that it will require many months’ stay to get a fair coll[ection]:, but I cannot stay so long, for the immense n^o. of insect pests (clouds of "piums"¹⁰ by day & mosquitos by night) added to [11] [p. 73] hunger (for next to nothing is to be had to eat) are beyond my endurance.

In diurnes I found at once 2 new "Cybdeles" very abundant & I have seen several of a 3^rd too nimble for me to capture as yet— I have got 1 new "Eubagis"; the largest of the genus — 1 very distinct new "Ithomia"(?), & I see a new "Timetes" but cannot as yet capture it. I have also 2 new "Theclae"[,] — 2 "Satyri" — & 2 "Erycinides"—

In "Longicorns" but very few as yet[,] — but 1 grand, new sp[ecies]:— an "Anisocerus" 9 lines— On Nov 12th = I took 49 specimens = 40 sp[ecies]: = 20 new ≡ Nov 13 = 70 = 39 sp[ecies]: = 7 new ≡ Nov 14 = 39 = 35 sp[ecies]: 9 new ≡ Nov 15 = 70 = 39 sp[ecies]: 16 new ≡ Nov 16 = 39 = 38 sp[ecies]: 10 new ≡ Nov 17 = 14 = 14 sp[ecies]: 1 new ≡ Nov 18 = 40 = 35 sp[ecies]: = 5 new ≡ Nov 19 = 17 = 17 sp[ecies]: = 3 new—

I shall stay here about 6 weeks, at the end of w[hic]^h I shall be able to pronounce on the relation of the fauna with that of other districts—

I am now nearly at the end of my sheet without having touched upon any [12] [p. 74] subject except Entomology although the birds & the monkeys of this upper river are interesting— I am living, too, in the midst of a nation of Indians not yet reclaimed from the purely savage state— They are the Caishánas¹¹ — a very quiet harmless tribe — there are about 300 of them, some of their houses are ab[ou]^t a mile from the village, but the greater part live 2 days journey up the river Tunantins— They have no warlike weapons, & do not practice tattooing — they use, however, the Zarabatana¹²& Urarí¹³poisons—

There is another topic on w[hic]^h I must touch— I rec[eive]^d ab[ou]^t 6 months ago a copy of your paper in the "Annals" on the "Laws w[hic]^h ha^ve governed the introduction of new species"¹⁴— I was startled at first to see you already ripe for the enunciation of the theory— You can imagine with what interest I read & studied it, & I must say that it is perfectly well done. The idea is like but but truth itself, so [13] [p. 75] simple & obvious that those who read & understand it will be struck by its simplicity: & yet it is perfectly original. The reasoning is close & clear, & altho[ugh]' so brief an essay it is quite complete — embraces the whole difficulty & anticipates & annihilates all objections— Few men will be in a condition to comprehend & appreciate the paper, but it will infallibly create for you a high & sound reputation— The theory I quite assent to & you know was conceived by me also, but I confess that I could not have propounded it with so much force & completeness.

Many details I could supply, in fact a great deal remains to be done to illustrate & confirm the theory — a new method of investigating & propounding Zoology & Botany inductively is necessitated, & new libraries will have to be written — in part of this task I hope to be a laborer for many happy & profitable years— What a noble subject w[oul]^d be that of a monograph of a group of beings peculiar to one region but [14] [p. 76] offering different sp[ecies]: in each province of it = tracing the laws w[hic]^h connect together the modifications of forms & colors with the local circumstances of a province or station — tracing as far as possible the actual affiliation of the species— Two of such groups occur to me at once — in Entomology — in "Heliconiidae" & "Erotylidae" of S. America — the latter I think more interesting than the former for one reason — the sp[ecies]: are more local having feebler means of locomotion than the "Heliconiidae" —

I accept your proposal of future exchange of specimens & had long time ago thought of proposing it to you— In all the interesting families as "Longicornes" & "Carabides" &c I shall continue to reserve specimens of all the sp[ecies]: possible with this view—

I have been badly furnished with copies of interesting papers & periodicals from England— I have not for a long time seen the "Zoologist" & know [15] [p. 77] not what rubbishing stuff they print from my hasty letters— The papers describing some of your things — such as the "cleridae" & the "Diptera" — I do not see¹⁵ — I have got, however, the proceedings of the Ent[omological]: Soc[iety]: for 1855 complete — w[hic]^h contain a great deal that was new to me & very useful to know.

Nov: 23rd = We expect the Steamer down every hour so I must conclude this letter— These last 4 days have produced me 6 new Butterflies & an Indian has brought me a pair of a monkey (viz: "Midis" (?)) new to me— The best of the Diurnes is a "Catagramma" — very peculiar & rich in its colors — unlike anything fig[ure]^d by Hewitson¹⁶ & as handsome as the finest of those fig[ure]^d in his work¹⁷— it somewhat approaches "Lyca"— There is yet another sp[ecies] flying about—

The next finest thing is a "Eurygona" also ^likewise the handsomest of its genus — being crimson! With bl[ac]k border— I have now 3 new "Eurygonae" here — Coleoptera are scarcer every day — only 1 new "Longicorne".

Yours very truly | Henry Walter Bates