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Darwin Correspondence Project

From G. R. Waterhouse   [11 July 1845]

Brit. Mus.

Friday—

My dear Darwin

I have not yet had the separate copies of my paper1 sent me & fear more than a week has passed since you wrote— The following are the only species of Beetles in your collection of which I have been able to obtain the habitats Creophilus—? apparently a new species (from under a dead bird in Chatham Isd. Ammophorus galapagoensis, from Chatham Island ————— bifoveatus from James Island There is a third species Amm. obscurus which was pinned, perhaps it was from a difft Island Pedonœces galapagoensis James Island ———— pubescens Chatham Isd. ———— costatus (a third species not labelled) Apate spe—? Chatham Isd. Ormiscus variegatus Charles Isd Otiorhynchus cuneiformis Charles Isd.

In none of these cases—though of some of the species there are several specimens—do I find the same species from different Islands—2

M. De Selys Longchamps,3 a great man for the Neuroptera has been here— I got him to look at the dragon fly from the Galapagos—he said he thought it was a new species & that it was an American form—i.e. Brasilian—

I write in great haste, having an appointment to attend to immediately

Believe me | faithfully yours | Geo. R. Waterhouse

Of a new genus of Heteromera to which I have given the name Stomion, there are three species— I wonder whether they came from difft. Islands?

CD annotations

2.1 In none of these cases] ‘ie in only 2 genera’ added ink
Top of first page: ‘Solidified’ink

Footnotes

Waterhouse 1845a.
CD used this information in Journal of researches 2d ed., p. 395.
Michel Edmond de Selys-Longchamps.

Bibliography

Journal of researches 2d ed.: Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of HMS Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. FitzRoy RN. 2d edition, corrected, with additions. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1845.

Summary

Notes the islands, where known, on which CD’s Galapagos beetles were found. Remarks that in none of the species whose place of origin is known, does he have specimens from more than one island.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-890
From
George Robert Waterhouse
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
British Museum
Source of text
DAR 181: 19
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 890,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-890.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 3

letter