H. T. STAINTON AND B. D. WALSH. 277 



at all times be most happy to do so to the best of my ability. 



***** 

 I Avas extremely interested in your notice of the habits of 

 the larva of Batrachedra salicipomonella. As far as I can 

 yet learn our B. prccangusta is not a gall-feeder, but I cannot 

 say that I yet know the whole of its history. 



H. T. Stainton. 



Eock Island, Illinois, 

 August \2th, 1867. 



H. T. Stainton, Esq. 



Your very agreeable letter of July 23rd came to hand 

 a few days ago. 



I have nothing to tell you of the latter days of poor 

 Dr. Clemens, except what I learnt from his letters. 



In 1861 he dropped me as a correspondent just as he did 

 you; and from August 12th, 1860, to July 5th, 1863, 

 I never heard a word from him. At the latter date he men- 

 tions having received a letter from you ; so it could not have 

 miscarried. Then follows another long gap in our corre- 

 spondence of 14 months, and on Septr. 4th, 1864, he "hopes 

 that, when 'the present political conditions are replaced by 

 purer and more humane principles — when we are once again 

 under a government of law and not fanaticism — to turn again 

 to the quiet and absorbing pursuits of science." 



Then another gap of 10 months, to July 21st, 1865, when 

 he remarks that " other duties have so absorbingly demanded 

 attention, that for the past few years he [Dr. C] has for- 

 gotten to collect, observe, or write." After that date — the 

 Civil War being then over, and the late rebels in high spirits 

 again — I heard from him pretty frequently. 



The truth of the matter, I suppose, is that Clemens had 

 connections in Virginia, and for aught I know may have 

 been a Virginian by birth ; and throughout the war his sym- ( U\ 

 pathies were with the South. For myself I am an ultra- 

 radical, and if I recollect rightly, I ansAvered his sneers at 



