Letters from A.H. Haliday to H.T. Stainton 19 February, 1862- 20 September 1862
Letter from A.H. Haliday to H.T. Stainton 19 February, 1862
Hotel R de la Victoria — Paris
1862.2.19
My Dear Sir,
As bad news flies fast I hasten to inform you of the result of my enquiries at Turin after Lepidopterologi or even Lepidopterophili. My kind acquaintances there Profrs Bellardi [1] and Ghiliani [2] ignore their existence, Micro. Achille Costa [[3] is now engrossed too much by the of University duties — Ghiliani himself is in bad health and has too much on his hands — if I can excite my Coleopterists (few also) to take up the microlepidopt in hope of exchange from Coleopteri of the North or foreign I will not omit the opportunity.
Hitherto I have been in a constant hurry and partly not quite strong to sustain it. At Paris the Museum [4] where I had Meigen’s [5] and Macquart’s [6] [note at side of page] — Directions for taking and setting ( ) Microlepidoptera — Stettin Ent. Zeitung [7]
and — types of Diptera to collate — the Hymenoptera of Dr. Sichel [8] — the Diptera of Mr. Bigot [9] kept me on another stretch — I did not go out of my way for a single sight non Entomol altho’ I had not been in Paris for 16 years past. My stay was [frustrated] to nearly a week by the illness of one of my travelling companions. At Amiens I spent a day (a lovely Spring day) with Dr. Dours [10] two hours of it in and on the fine Cathedral. The journey from Paris to Turin was but 34 hours but fatiquing; in the descent from Mo Cenis [11] our carriage drag was red hot and strong smell of combustion and at this present rate of travelling accidents have been frequent. We had the advantage of full-moon and lost note of the scenery unless by slumber. At Turin I spent three days very pleasantly proceeding by Genoa to Leghorn and as then the wind was contrary, we had not quite reached La Spezzia when I went on deck in the so I did not have that view by the night passage. Here we are without a particle of baggage for the — all having gone on (though ) by the train to Florence — the only contretemps on the whole journey — except being served with Aquavitae for Vin Blanc [d’Isle] at the Table d’Hote at Turin. I intend to write soon to Dr. Dohrn [12] and will mention to him that I asked of you to get from the Society the separate imprints of Holmgren’s [13] several papers on Ichneumonidae — also (if ox ) of Thomson’s [14] Swedish Proctotrupines — Will you have the kindness to send me via Williams and Norgate (who send me books to Florence about the end of the month or in March) a stock of good entom pins, Germany by preference, but none long. I do not like the very long ones — but such as would be short with Continentals though long for us — chiefly fine ones (as for mounting wedges of card short ones of any sort suffice and some fine English ones of length. Excuse this petition — here I find the pins are so bad that they got them from Germany. I shall be glad to hear from you if you have time any London Scient news and am yours very truly Alex. H. Haliday
H.T. Stainton Esq Letter from H.J. Stainton to a.H. Haliday 13 July 1862 Copy to A.H. Haliday July 13/62 [Mountsfield, Lewisham, SE] printed letter heading I certainly cannot announce that we have yet reached a peaceful state of things at the Ent. Soc.[15] Though we may be tending that way. Nothing whatever appears yet to have been done to arrange matters. The Council seems to have gone to sleep leaving it to time to obliterate all unpleasantness. I believe that only 5 of the Society have actually seceded — but there are many who are dissatisfied and may yet secede — an unwise policy as I tell them for unless they are prepared to form a new Society they had better remain in the old one. One of the seceders was a Member of Council and his retirement making a vacancy I was proposed to fill up[ the gap. I remonstrated as I certainly did not wish till matters had got a little straightened out to resume a seat on the Council — besides as it is well enough known I have never for one moment relaxed any exertions to procure a change in the Curatorship I could not conceive that my election would be allowed to pass without opposition. However the Council would not listen to my remonstrances and my nomination went forward. I, of course, abstained from attending the next meeting but I am assured that my election was unanimous — which to me certainly appears most irregular. I did not at once assent to accept the seat on the Council but begged to know beforehand “what steps the Council had taken or was taking to restore the Socy. To its former vigorous condition”. To this the Council reply that “they looked upon my re-election as a step towards the restoration of the Society and trusted they would have my assistance in enabling them to complete the restoration of the Society” — so though I have done it with some reluctance I have today written to the Socy to say that I accept the seat on the Council. What will come to pass next I cannot foresee but they certainly cannot expect me to support a do-nothing policy. I fear I have written a wondrous long story about myself so that you will be well-nigh disgusted with the egotism of the writer but I can assure you I feel most lamentably the inconveniences of having greatness thrust upon me and I am very far from conceiving that I have done anything towards achieving greatness. The black Zygaena concerning which you enquire is Syntomus phegea [16]
Letter from A.H. Haliday to H.T. Stainton dated 20th September 1862
Monte Bonelli - Lucca 20 Sept.1862
My Dear Sir,
I asked Wollaston [17] to present my remembrances when he should be at Mountfields but from a later letter of his I apprehend he did not get mine in time. It is a good while since I have heard from you and I should be glad of intelligence — about Ent. Soc. Of which I should be desirous to hear peaceful prospects — about Dr. Dohrn — H. Schaum [18] whom you will have seen lately — I am back but a few days from an excursion in the Appenines cut short by unfavourable weather. I took a horse and man from [baths of] Lucca and found myself at Abetone the pass between Tuscany and Modena — ascending Giovo [19] the highest point of the central Appenines which lies a little detached from the chain so commanding a more extensive view including both seas Adriatic and Tyrrhenian [20] but I saw on the top only fog, rain and rock. Rondinago [21] the next highest (in the main chain) was little better as to view and in the mist my guide who had never been at the summit took me up the most precipitous side really a perilous climb in fog — I had intended going on to some of the Apuan Alps (or Carrara range) but this experience discouraged me — also I found that the season was too far advanced in respect to vegetation and consequently insects. Though I have not attended specially to the Leps I continue to think that the number of species here is comparatively small — judging from what I see obvious and from the paucity of Ichneumonidae parasites of larger and Enicdontidae of the leafminers. I was much struck in the Alpine valley but the gregarious habits of certain butterflies especially a satyrid and a Polyommatus — the names of which I note but cannot find now. I was too much rapt in scenery and the exercise necessary to devour it — to leave much leisure for collecting there. But I am seriously thinking of Sardinia for next spring if as I hope I can muster a party to camp out. My Alpine excursion was mostly solitary as Bellardi stayed only a week. So our function was defeated by delays of post — it was also cut short by an accident which reduced me from a pedestrian to a mulerider so I reserved Mr. Blair of the Matterhorn (the gem of all!) for another season if such be allowed and contented myself with three weeks at Monte Rosa. My brother Col. W.N. Halliday is coming out to Italy the last week of October to remain the winter and join me I hope in my island plan for Spring — the address is U. Service Club if you have any letter or book to send — I am not sure but think I asked you about getting through Stettin Ent. Socy for me Holmgrens Monographs of Swedish Ichneumones (Ophiones, Tryphones etc).
I had some intention of going to Vienna next month to meet Loew [22] there but have not heard from him now for two months and as he is a great invalid I fear he may have suffered from the fatigue of travelling this summer. I should probably have diverged into the Tyrol to look for him when Bellardi left us in the Lesothal but Loew’s letter giving his route and a day for his southern were I might meet him was a little too late in reaching me in the valleys (where there are but 3 foot-posts exactly) to admit of the attempt. I have found one more Lucchese Entomologist this summer — a Coleopterist only — a medical student and land proprietor at the Bagni. When an Irish friend failed me as a companion for the Appenines I tried to get this Olinto Moni to come with me, but both were withheld by the same cause a medical non-fiat. I was glad to receive the other day from Curtis [23] a note telling me he was in the course of recovery though slow and precarious — I had been much tried when at [ ] by the loss (in the post of a note from him in reply to my anxious enquired along with other letters which had followed me through several retransmissions. If you find leisure at present to let me have a line pray tell me whether you know if J.O. Westwood [24] is at Oxford. I have been expecting to hear from him but lately have understood he was on a tour abroad. I find so little help in books in the libraries here that I am getting out a few of my own for winter use rather than depend on a brief visit to Florence where I believe the Palatine Library is well supplied. Can you tell me where Forster’s [[25] monograph on Psyllidae was published. I cannot remember and my own separate copy was not to be found when other books were collected for dispatch — but I may probably find the volume of Transactions at Florence if I know where it way. Believe me yours very faithfully.
Alex. H. Haliday