From Hermann Müller 12 November 1869
Lippstadt. Westfalia
Nov. 12. 1869.
My dear Sir!
I have bestowed the last two summers upon observing the insects frequenting and fertilising our flowers. The bees being of eminent importance for the fertilisation of flowers, I have employed my principal attention in observing, collecting, and determinating them, but although I have extricated positively by far the greatest part of Westfalian species, many forms are still left which I cannot find in conformity with any description in my works on bees. Therefore it is my lively desire to hear the opinion of your highest authority, Mr. Frederick Smith, of the British Museum, o⟨n⟩ my yet ind⟨etermi⟩ned species.
Without the judgement of such an authority I should run the risk to publish some species as new ones, which are already described in any work unknown to me.
The domicil of Mr. Fr. Smith being unknown to me, I beg you, to deliver up to him the enclosed letter and to recommand my purpose.1
I am ready to send to Mr. Smith a collection of the Westfalian species of bees as complete as I have collected them, if such a collection would be of any value for the British Museum.2
I hope that you will be so kind and to oblige me on this head.
With sincere respect I remain my dear Sir | yours very faithfully | H Müller.
Footnotes
Bibliography
Correspondence: The correspondence of Charles Darwin. Edited by Frederick Burkhardt et al. 29 vols to date. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 1985–.
Summary
Would like Frederick Smith of the British Museum to determine whether or not some unidentified Westphalian bees are new species.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-6984
- From
- Heinrich Ludwig Hermann (Hermann) Müller
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Lippstadt
- Source of text
- DAR 171: 295
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp damaged
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 6984,” accessed on 26 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-6984.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 17