JACK'S LETTEES TO WALLICH, 1819-1821. 161 



have the characters of Koxb.'s Scytalice and Mclastomce, of which 

 latter I have found several, one very strange tetrandrous one, with 

 bluish flowers, but I must not make my correspondence and re- 

 quests a tax upon you. 



Will you kindly send the enclosed to Mr. Calder 38 when con- 

 venient. 



Thine 



W. J. 

 P. Penang, 



Feb. 12th, 1819. 

 My dear Wallich, 



My last will have given you some idea of how I am employed, 

 and what is going on in this quarter. We have just had accounts 

 from Sir Stamford, who has taken possession of Singapura (the 

 City of the Lion) an. ancient Capital of the Malays and situated 

 on the Island of Singapore, opposite to Johor, and at the Eastern 

 extremity of the Peninsula and Straits of Malacca, which is to be 

 our principal settlement of that quarter, and a most important 

 one it will be. We look for his return very soon. So much for 

 affairs. 



Xow for Botany ; I am actually overwhelmed with the treasures 

 that pour in upon me ; I have been employed night and day so 

 as not even to leave time for correspondence. I actually wish foi 

 a little remission, for my cough has been teasing me, but how is 

 it possible! I cannot even now get through all; my specimens are 

 in piles that are quite alarming, and I have not time to look over 

 them: I must however take a day to make a selection for you. 

 I look forward to getting on board ship to bring up arrears, and 

 get things in some order, and then you shall not be forgotten. I 

 am at this moment engaged upon a drawing of a splended new 

 Tacca 39 with entire leaves, diphyllous involucrum &c. &c. ; of which 

 you shall presently have a full account, and which I mean to de- 

 dicate to Lady Karnes. Sav Amen ! I will send von the drawing 



38. This Calder belonged to one of the Agency firms in Calcutta, and 

 appears to have been the James Calder, who supplied a geological paper 

 to the eighteenth volume of the Asiatick Eesearches and was an energetic 

 member of the Asiatic Society of Bengal two years later than the date of 

 this letter. Dr. Gravely, Hon. Secretary of the Society has ascertained 

 that James Calder was elected member on April 12th, 1817. 



39. Tacca cristata, Jack in Malayan Miscellanies, i. 1820, No. 5, p. 

 23, a common plant at low elevations in Penang. We find it here as 

 Tacca rafflesiana, and in this understand how Wallich came to distribute 

 it in or after 1828 under that name (Wall. Cat. No. 5172) ; but the cause 

 of Jack's alteration is not recorded. 



There is a note in the Malayan Miscellanies making reference to 

 Curtis' Botanical Magazine, plate 1488 published in 1812, which should 

 not be considered evidence that Jack had access in Malaya to that work: 

 for Jack had an opportunity to work in Calcutta before he published the 

 description. 



R. A. Soc, No. 73, 1916. 



