Subsequently, this fine collection came to the hammer, on Thursday, May 23, 1805, and the two following days. A few of the more interesting lots, with the prices obtained for them, and the names of the purchasers, are given below as an interesting record.
| Lot 3 | Phalæna Aprilina, Graminis, and 22 others | 26 | £7 | 12 | 0 | G. Humphrey. |
| 8 | Sphinx Convolvuli, and 8 others | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | Donovan. |
| 46 | Papilio Priamus | 1 | 4 | 14 | 6 | General Davies. |
| 64 | —— Claviger, and 5 others | 6 | 7 | 10 | 0 | MacLeay. |
| 69 | A variety of curious Spiders, chiefly from Georgia | 110 | 4 | 4 | 0 | Donovan. |
| 90 | Papilio Iris, Edusa, Hyale, and various | 4 | 10 | 0 | Humphrey. | |
| 94 | Sixteen curious Curculiones | 16 | 11 | 11 | 0 | Ditto. |
| 95 | Scarabæus Goliathus, var. | 1 | 12 | 1 | 6 | Ditto. |
| 100 | Cerambyx Gigas, and 2 others | 3 | 4 | 8 | 0 | Haworth. |
| 104 | Thirteen Species of the Buprestis Genus | 13 | 8 | 0 | 0 | MacLeay. |
| 105 | Elater Flabellicornis, virens, and 8 others | 10 | 4 | 6 | 0 | Latham. |
| 112 | Cetonia hamata, nitens, grandis, Scarabæus festivus, and 12 others | 16 | 17 | 0 | 0 | MacLeay. |
| 123 | A variety of small Insects of the Mordella, Forficula, and other Genera, among which are Diopsis ichneumonea (and also a species of Paussus) | 31 | 7 | 0 | 0 | Ditto. |
| 201 | Mutilla bimaculata, thoracica, Scolia signata, and 24 others | 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | Kirby. |
| 269 | Sphex tropica, frontalis, Africana, &c. | 128 | 6 | 6 | 0 | Ditto. |
The total amount obtained for the Insects was £614. 8s. 6d.; and about £300. more for the Cabinets, Books, &c. with the Copper-plates of the Illustrations.
Of the estimation in which the works and collections of Drury were held by Linnæus, Fabricius, &c. the constant references (especially by the latter) made to them, will sufficiently prove. The former dedicated a fine species of Cimex to Drury, figured in the first volume of these Illustrations, pl. [42]. f. 1. 5.; whilst the latter described an American species of Stenocorus from Drury's collection, under the name of St. Drurii (Ent. Syst. 1. 2. p. 302.) and also a Danish Tinea under the name of T. Drurella. The Rev. W. Kirby also in his Monograph upon the English Bees, has named a rare species belonging to the modern genus Eucera, Apis Drurella, with the remark—"In honorem D. Drury, operis entomologici splendidissimi auctoris, cujus museum insectorum rarissimorum undique conquisitorum gazophylacium ditissimum, hanc apem ab illo acceptam nominavi." (Mon. Ap. Angl. 2. p. 286.)
That Drury was in correspondence with these "Heroes Scientiæ" will therefore be unquestioned; and the following letter from the younger Linnæus, communicated to me by the relatives of the former is interesting not only on this account, but for the curious statement relative to the Œstrus humanus then recently discovered in South America.
Celeberrimo Viro D. Drury.
S. pl. d.
Carolus a Linne.
Dum post mortem dilectissimi parentis occupatus fui in redigendo naturalia ab illo in Syst. Nat. nondum determinata, et ut his nomenclaturam pro scientia naturali maxime necessariam continuarem, maxime sollicitus fui illa, quantum mihi possibile foret, synonymis ex præstantioribus auctoribus scientiæ illustrare, imprimis illorum qui pulcherrimis individuorum figuris sint ornati. Tu, Vir Celeberrime, es ex illis, qui in Insectis pulcherrima præstitisti; ex Tuo opere volumina habeo duo, quæ in hereditario cum reliqua Bibliotheca[[4]] Parentis habeo; sed an tertius termes s. plures post secundum prodiere est quod ignoro, et de qua re rogarem tuam informationem? et si prodiere ubi inveniuntur? et quo prætio? Amicitiam quam erga Parentem habuisti, spero hanc filiolo permittere licentiam. Optandum esset a Te in his majorem videre augmentum, requirunt insecta figuras; nam vix differentiis determinanda sunt. Insecta australioris plaga mundi a Banksio et Forsteriis indagata, pulcherrime et utilissime pro scientia methodo Tua illustrari possent. Utinam facere vellis, immortalitatem Tuam conservaret scientia hæc!
Ego qui nunc novam paro editionem Zoologicam Syst. Nat.[[5]] summam in insectis sentio difficultatem ita exprimere, ut aliis intelligas quod tam facile figuris lævatur. Multa præstitit noster De Geer de Insectis, sed majora adhuc præstitisset, si figuræ vivis coloribus ornatæ fuissent. Quis Entomologus est alius apud vos qui collectionem Insectorum possidet ex India occidentali, si quis esset qui desideraret insecta Suecica lubenter Illi ea præstare vellem.