Item data
Item Type:
Document
From:
Smith, Sir Andrew
Sent from:
Cape Town, South Africa
To:
Smith, Sir James Edward
Sent to location:
Norwich, Norfolk
Summary:
Will do all he can to satisfy Smith with Cape 'Orchideae'. Has a young artist to make painting from live specimens, sending figure of 'Disperis villosa' [extant]. Believes a "very splendid" work could be made from having a painting of every Cape species in full flower, with Smith being sent dried specimens to provide full descriptions from; difficulty of transporting live plants back to England.
Has sent promised papers to Sir Everard Home [(1756-1832), physician] describing new species each of 'Hyaena' and 'Hyrax'; observations on gland secretions of former; hopes Home will send them to Linnean Society and that they will be published in "Linnean Transactions". It is his ambition to produce a good work on zoology of South Africa. Many collectors currently here: 3 from Prussia, 3 from France, and 6 from other European countries. Lists some of the curiosities of his portfolio; he is particularly interested in snakes. Mode natural history is now studied makes it easier to notice habits of animals for classification.
Watercolour of 'Disperis villosa'.
Letter date:
14 Jan 1827
Languages:
English
Prev Ref No:
108
Additional Information:
| Note type | Note |
|---|
| Additional | Smith replied 19 May 1827 |
| Related Material | Smith, A, (1849). "Illustrations of the zoology of South Africa : ... an expedition into the interior of South Africa ... 1834-36 ..." London: Smith, Elder & Co.. |
| Finding Aids | Hutt, C M, "List of additional correspondence of Sir James Edward Smith" Linnean Society. |
