Torrington House, St. Albans,
September 17, 1895.
Dear Mr. Lounsbury,—It gave me great pleasure to receive your letter this morning, in all excepting that I find I might possibly have seen yourself and Mrs. Lounsbury. I am really very sorry not to have done this, for there are many things so difficult to enter on in writing, which yet (as now you are on our British staff) I should like you to know, relative to entomological matters, and also, though I should have said this first, it would have been a pleasure to my sister and myself to become personally acquainted with you. How fortunate you are in having such a skilled colleague [his wife]; it must be a real comfort to you to have an entomological alter ego, and yet such a charming companion.
You will have made acquaintance with your colleagues, and you will, I conjecture, find Mr. Bairstow useful if he be still attending to insect matters. He collected a great deal of information for me when I was compiling my little S.A. book. But now I am chiefly writing to indicate the pleasure it will give me to be in communication with you as occasion may occur, and with good wishes both for your success and comfort to yourself and Mrs. Lounsbury, &c.
I do not know whether you have my little book on “South African Insects,” so I beg your acceptance of a copy sent by this post.
1, Beetle; 2, larva; 3, pupa, magnified (from Bulletin No. 4, New Series, U.S.A. Department of Agriculture, p. 124).
FIG. 66.—BREAD, PASTE OR BOOT BEETLE, DRUG STORE BEETLE (U.S.A.), ANOBIUM PANICEUM (= SITODREPA PANICEA) LINN.
FIG. 67.—UPPER OF A BOOT INJURED BY MAGGOT OF PASTE BEETLE, ANOBIUM PANICEUM.
November 4, 1895.