Francis Walker

“ Gravenhorst's Ichneumonologia," [to which Stephens,Curtis, Haliday, Walker and Hope were all subscribers] and this surely can be no just cause of complaint ; the right of copying a foreign work cannot be confined to a single individual.The cruel allusion to the affair with Rennie,—an affair which we consider reflects any thing but credit on the laws of this country, is the most unfeeling of all, and betrays a spirit of deep-rooted animosity and revenge which lowers our opinion of our kind. ”

“ He will I believe make an application to government to patronize the publication of his travels, if he succeeds all these specific descriptions will of course be included therein------------ I do not remember any recent works on Hymenoptera or Diptera of the regions where Darwin has travelled. There may be a few in the 10th Vol of the Encycl. Method. [Encyclopédie Méthodique . . . Paris & Liege, 1789–1828] . ”

“ I cannot think of troubling you with them unless you will promise to keep them as many years as is convenient to you and to take all the species that are not already in your collection. If you will undertake this examination they shall be immediately forwarded to you – they are all arranged in species though not in genera but few I am sorry to say are named. I hope soon to have the pleasure of sending a set of the insects I collected .... ”

“ February 1836 Bedford Square F.W. to A.H.H. sends The Rev Hope’s thanks and his own for gift [by AHH to Entomological Society of specimens of 69 Species of Hymenopterous and Dipterous Insects described in the Entomological Magazine]
October 2nd, 1837 49 Bedford Square Draws Haliday's attention to Directions for collecting Zoological, Botanical, and Geological Specimens by Mr. Children, Esq.and his own election as an Ordinary Member of the Society. Encourages AHH to seek election. ”

“ The social meetings at the houses of distinguished individuals, or of public bodies, such, for example, as those of the Baron Cuvier, the Baron F^russac, the Institute, the Athenaeum, &c., are frequent ; and the intercourse at such meetings is of real use to literary men, because difference of worldly circumstances enters into them for little or nothing. ”

“ Stephens was placed had rendered him an objectof kindly feeling with all scientific men ; we imagined that self-respect would have prevented a Briton from striking another in distress ; we supposed British honour would have ourselves,—we have been leaning on a reed.How strenuously, how enthusiastically, have we laboured to eradicate the base and injurious party-spirit which has so long pervaded the paths of science ;—and is this the fruit ? ”

“ Arnos Grove , Southgate 8 March 1837 ... Mr Darwin (grandson of the celebrated doctor Darwin) who has been travelling for the few past years through the E and W coasts of South America and the Pacific Isles and N. Holland and has made numerous interesting discoveries in geology and zoology—has lately returned to England with his collections—He has entrusted the insects to Waterhouse who will describe the Coleoptera. ”

“ Francis Walker to Haliday
27 May 1837 Arnos Grove My Dear Haliday, I have delayed writing to you till I could procure some of Darwin's insects to accompany my package. Waterhouse has been very busy so he requested me to pick out and mount some. Having done this I sent you a few near a fortnight ago per Belfast steamer, with the other insects that I promised, also one parcel from Mr Curtis and two from Mr Rudd . Waterhouse requests that you will keep the No. attached to each lot as Darwin has MSS notes attached to some. ”

“ And the same may be said of the Coleoptera among which the species of Scymnus are very numerous. On a recent coral isle [St. Pauls [] the only insects were bird parasites and a few Coprophagi such as a Staphylinus (Philonthus or Quedius) etc. Another isle the only species of insect was a small ant.
Date? I have now a lot of Mss. waiting to be published in the Ent. Mag. And I must send the description of Darwin’s Chalcidites to the Linn. Soc. Or elsewhere ” Francis Walker to Haliday Royal Entomological Society of London library. ”

“ With regard to the plan, i. e. in the addition of consecutive numbers to the genera and species, and the adoption of the mode of printing, Mr. Stephens has, we are aware,imitated ; he could not have done otherwise ; but in what manner this is an injury to Mr. Curtis, we defy human ingenuityto point out. Is it not the every-day custom to adopt any new mode or fashion in the getting up of a book ? ”

“ Genoa. 1837]
17 February post-marked 1838 I have hitherto delayed replying to your letter of December last that I might obtain as many as possible of Darwin's Diptera etc to form part of the parcel that I have just forwarded to you.' [letter discusses some of the insects which are in the parcel] .... In the box also are all Darwin's Diptera yet unpacked. He has plenty more but they are in little boxes mixed with other insects and he is about to have them all mounted and then sorted. ”

“ Letter concerns progress on List of the specimens of homopterous insects in the collection of the British Museum and mentions Mr Gray [John Edward, Gray] ] .
June 1852 Arnos Grove Notes on the Saunder's Collection 10th December 1853 Arnos Grove Mr. Curtis exhibited some Hymenoptera and Diptera received from M. Dufour and Signor Passerini, as typical specimens of species described in the " Annales de la Societe Entomologique de France." In the box, also, was Tryphon nigriceps, Grav., a species new to this country.....Tryphon rufulus of Stephens is the male of T. rufus. ”

“ May 12 1834 Letter thanks AHH for his generosity and apologies for "lack of an earlier reply my having but lately returned from Paris ....kindly received by Mr. Lefebvre , the Secretary of the French Entomological Society. ”

“ February 1833 Arnos Grove Reflects on rift between Curtis and Stephens
October 1833 concerns Walkers's Monographia Chalciditum and other entomological studies, specimens exchanged and examined.
December [1833] "the Society meeting in November at rooms engaged at 17, Old Bond Street suitably furnished and equipped, was the more agreeable for the number of ladies present several already enrolled as members... and all welcomed most warmly by Mr. Children ... also the Rev. Mr. Kirby and Mr. ”