40 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [Feb., '02 



food, & our dangers from Indian hostility were far less than 

 those of our former expedition. We passed over that immense 

 countr>^ in six months so that j^ou will be well aware that we 

 had not much leisure to make very abundant collections ; never- 

 theless I obtained some insects that are of some interest. 



You will observe by the number of the Journal that I now 

 send, my commencement to describe our Coleopterous in.sects. 

 This paper is to include such as were obtained during our ex- 

 pedition to the Rocky mountains. It will be succeeded by a 

 description of the insects of this country generally. You will 

 observe that I have carefully quoted your ' ' Catalogue' ' for all 

 such species as I have been favoured with from you & from 

 your father. I hope to send you soon an extensive paper on 

 the families of Carabus, Dytiscus & Gyrinus ; it is already 

 printed off. Also a paper on the Hymehoptera, & another on 

 the Neuroptera which I have had published and of which I 

 expect soon to have some extra copies. Whatever I publish 

 shall be submitted to your inspection & I beg in return your 

 candid opinion and usual critical observations upon them. I 

 have the ambition to do as much as possible & to perform my 

 work as well as I can, I must therefore task the acumen of my 

 friend to correct my errors when he perceives them, & to teach 

 me to do better when he perceives the way open to amendment. 



I remain truly & cordially 



your friend & Obd* Serv'. 

 Thomas Say 

 [Note. — In a footnote appended to the first of these letters, 

 F. E. Melsheimer is said to have probably represented the third 

 generation of the family in America, I now learn that he was 

 the brother of J. F. Melsheimer. 



This last letter brings this series to a close, as the following 

 two or three letters, dated 1824-25, are not thought of sufficient 

 general interest to justify their publication here. — W. J. F.] 



Mr. S, H. Hamilton of the Academy of Natural .Sciences, of Philadel- 

 phia, is about to visit Cuba on a collecting trip. He will be pleased to 

 hear from any one wishing Cuban insects. His address will be Santiago, 

 care of "General Delivery," 



