'JO 
MEMOIR OF THE LATE JOHN SCALES. 
“ Milton, 28th August, 1827. 
“Sir, — At this distance of time I fear you will have given up all hope of 
hearing from me in answer to the letter which I received with some insects 
about four years ago. The truth is I have from year to year been endeavour- 
ing to get as many specimens of Dispar as would be worth sending jmu ; 
but until this year I have never been able to procure more than three or 
four. This year I have had more time and the insect has been more plentiful. 
I now send as many specimens of it as I can spare, with a few other things 
which I hope will prove acceptable. I have sent you three specimens of 
Davus which I had from a correspondent in Manchester, a few of Paniscus 
(which has been very scarce this 3 ’ear) Pruni and a few Lihellulce. Also 
Machaon and two specimens of Arctia cenosa. The others are for 
Mr. Younge, being those marked down by him when here. You are 
perhaps not acquainted with the fact that the larva of Dispar has been 
dlscovei'ed, with the plant ui)on which it feeds, Pumex aquaticus. Last 
year the gardener from Ho[l]me Wood and a Mr. Wood of Huntingdon 
discovered the larva on the dock. They took a number of them home and 
succeeded in breeding a good many of the perfect insects. The gardener at 
lIo[l]me sent me some of the chrysalises (which are very curious, having 
much the appearance of some of the shells you find attached to the reed) to 
forward to Mr. Curtis who happened to be here at the time and took them 
with him for the purpose of having them figured. Standish has been in 
the Pens during all the Dispar season and has taken a great many but I do 
not think he has got anything new. The Fens are getting more dr^q and the 
people are cutting more of the gras^ and sedge than they did some 3 'ears 
ago, and it is probable that in a few years it wall cease to be a habitat for 
those rare insects which have previously been found there. Arctia cenosa 
I have not heard of being taken, either larva or fly, this season. I am, Sir^ 
your obt. servant, Henderson.^’ 
Tlie same year it Avoukl seem that the long desired opportunity 
had come, and in the following February (1828), Scales married at 
Stoke-Ferry, Elizabeth, the daughter of Mr. Charles Sanders of 
that place,* and thereupon took up his abode at JSTarborough. 
Two months later his father, Eobert Scales, Avho had been for 
some years in failing health, died; but John Scales continued 
the management of the farm and warren at Bcachamwell, until the 
lease having expired, he removed to Ilelhoughton, where he took 
a farm under Lord Charles Towmshend. Thither he carried his 
* Mrs. Scales’s brother, James Bradfield Sanders, subsequently added to his 
name that of Bradfield on succeeding to the property of his maternal grand- 
father, and was a Justice of the Peace and Deput}’-Lieutenant of Norfolk, 
lie died May loth, 1875, in his eightieth year. 
