Alexander Henry Haliday

“ On the ascent of the hill, above the limit of the chesnut [sic] , I met, for the first time among these hills, the elm, in any plenty, mixed with oaks &c. I saw little insect-life after the great heat; but in the chesnut [sic] woods, under fallen leaves, I got a very few grown specimens of the interesting new Neuropterous genus, apterous and allied to Campodea ambulans, but with the forceps of a Forpicula. Since the rains commenced, some of the Spring insects begin to happen, but on the whole I have seen very little variety of Diptera, and very few of any larger species. ”

“ I am glad that, after so much delay, his book of Farm insects has reached you,and that you take kindly the simple expression of at least my sincere judgment; from which too, I believe, no one interested in the subject would dissent. That your own aspirations leave you unsatisfied with past achievements may very well be; and I hope, from this, and under favour of providence in respect of your health & domestic circumstances, that you will be able to carry out much more of what you have proposed to yourself. Many thanks for the specimens of insects, you enclosed in compliance with my desire. ”

“ Before arranging Bellardi’s Dolichopidae for him, I hope to have a few more of my books, now at sea; but I believe there will be found among them more things new, than I had anticipated. He has 1 - , and many of the now Liancalus of the Alps, as well as of the 3rd species of the bipunctate group of Hydrophorus,—of which I took two specimens on the borders of a small lake at a considerable elevation among the secondary ranges of the Monte Rosa group. In this species no part of the face is metallic-glossy. ”

“ Tachytrechus insignis appears to be Italian as well as Meridionale. Mr Dale sent me some time ago, photographs, done at a country town near his place, of insects mostly Diptera, many on one sheet. I could recognise most of the species, though I should not venture to pronounce one new, in most cases, on such evidence; but it seems that a good use of photography might be made, in this way, in respect to unique or rare specimens. Has the art been applied so with you? ”

“ In case he is unable (as, he intimated to me, was probable) to continue his Prodromus , I would be very desirous to see Bellardi leave his Exotic Diptera, for those of Italy, with the accession of Rondani’s materials, in addition to his own fine Piedmontese collection. I do not suppose the work would suffer by the change. I am sorry to have to conclude, from the specimens I saw with Bellardi, of Rondani’s communication, that the latter in his scientific zeal, is not careful enough of the preservation of his materials. ”

“ It is true that it is difficult to draw the line in such cases; or to keep to one measure & latitude. Of course, the peculiarly Italian and perverse interchange of L and Y, th and t, ch and c, occurs very often in this list of generic names. My visit to the really beautiful cave, of white statuary marble & Stalactites, in the Monte Corchia, was quite unproductive of insects, as well as of Chiroptera, which at other seasons of the year have been observed there. ”

“ The Philygria, with the exception of Ph. picta, very rare in the low grounds, but become more common in ascending the Apennines, as well towards the Alps. Curtonotum gibbani (Perris,- ) rare here, & near Turin. Sciodromia immaculata. Ardoptera guttata (not oculata) I see scarcely any of the Chrysoti which we have in the North; but instead, a group with very minutely pubescent eyes & usually a sapphire blue gloss. (I suppose Chr. suavis is one of them) ; the most remarkable, a species with black legs,—the hind tibiae densely ciliated with broadened hairs, like some ---. ”

“ The fore femora are attenuated, as in the female; the palpi and proboscis appear much thicker than in the other species of the genus (A. bifurcatus & A. maculipenius occurring here) —from the thick clothing of scales, the articulations like those of the legs marked with a pale spot. Of Phlebotomus I have seen but 2 specimens, both of which solicited my attention by their puncture of my hand; but they escape with much more agility than a Culex does. ”

“ I hope sincerely you will be able to give a good account of your own health since your return home and that you will find leisure to write me an early programme for your movements for October. If I go to Vienna I shall of course wish to remain long enough for a deliberate survey of collections there. ”

“ Another day’s excursion to the sea coast was more productive. Flora had begun to deck herself; Convolvulus, Soldanella & Euphorbia paralias,and at the Serchio mouth Tamarin;—in the adjoining woods a wilderness of flowers. I told you before of a little fly I had found, forming, as I thought, a new genus of ---- On the coast I got a third species abundant,—having got a second, previously, about shady brooks in the hills above Lucca. With this third, but very sparingly, occurred a little Dolichopid, —wearing, like that, the peculiar hoary livery of the species of the dunes ”

“ I stayed two days at his summer residence at Levigliani, on the mountain; and left them with a pressing invitation to return in summer, & see more of the Alps, and their rich flora. I got a near view (about 11⁄2 mile English) ... [letter ends] ?
... distant to a natural phenomenon, which had before excited my curiosity much, in a more distant view, from the other side. i.e. from the summit of the Alps of Montefegatesi in the Tuscan Apennines. ”