1829.] BEETLE COLLECTING. 175 



actually often wanted to give me the rarest insects of which 

 he had only two specimens. He made many civil speeches, 

 and hoped you will call on him some time with me, whenever 

 we should happen to be in London. He greatly compliments 

 our exertions in Entomology, and says we have taken a won- 

 derfully great number of good insects. On Sunday I spent 

 the day with Holland, who lent me a horse to ride in the 

 Park with. 



On Monday evening I drank tea with Stephens ; * his 

 cabinet is more magnificent than the most zealous entomolo- 

 gist could dream of ; he appears to be a very good-humoured 

 pleasant little man. Whilst in town I went to the Royal 

 Institution, Linnean Society, and Zoological Gardens, and 

 many other places where naturalists are gregarious. If you 

 had been with me, I think London would be a very delightful 

 place ; as things were, it was much pleasanter than I could 

 have supposed such a dreary wilderness of houses to be. 



I shot whilst in Shrewsbury a Dundiver (female Goo- 

 sander, as I suppose you know). Shaw has stuffed it, and 

 when I have an opportunity I will send it to Osmaston. 

 There have been shot also five Waxen Chatterers, three of 

 which Shaw has for sale ; would you like to purchase a 

 specimen ? I have not yet thanked you for your last very 

 long and agreeable letter. It would have been still more 

 agreeable had it contained the joyful intelligence that you 

 were coming up here ; my two solitary breakfasts have 

 already made me aware how very very much I shall miss you. 

 ***** 



Believe me, 



My dear old Fox, 



Most sincerely yours, 



C. DARWIN. 



* J. F. Stephens, author of 'A Manual of British Coleoptera,' 1839, 

 and other works. 



