WCP827

[1]

9, St Mark’s Crescent,

Regent’s Park, N.W.

Feb. 20^th 1867¹

My dear Sir

Many thanks for your kindness in sending me a copy of your valuable paper on the "Dodo²", which I have read with much interest, especially the descriptive & generalizing passages. It is very satisfactory that the mystery of this strange bird should have been cleared up in our time, & it ^is to be hoped that some one will be equally successful in finding³ [2] the remains of the "Epiornis⁴". It always causes me to feel melancholy, when I think of these gigantic birds, the product of insular conditions for countless ages, rendered extinct by man’s agency.

May I take the opportunity of requesting that you will ^be so kind as to think of me should you hear of any Natural History Curatorship, or other post that I could [3] undertake. I would not mind giving a few lectures annually or if the place were good & permanent, giving up all my private Collections as the nucleus of a Museum.

I remain | Dear Sir | Yours very sincerely | Alfred R. Wallace [signature]