[ Alfred Brown, Scottish conchologist. ] Autograph Letter Signed to Dr. O. A. L. Morch of the Zoological Museum, Copenhagen, regarding a possible exchange of shells with a 'Danish Collector', containing long lists of bivalve and univalve specimens.

Author: 
Alfred Brown, Scottish ship-owner and conchologist [ William & Alfred Brown & Co., Glasgow; Dr Otto Andreas Lowson Mørch [ Morch ] (1828-1878), Danish zoologist ]
Publication details: 
28 Burnbank Gardens, Glasgow, Scotland. 8 February 1873.
£120.00
SKU: 19415

Brown's collection of shells is now held by the Kelvingrove Museum in Glasgow. 4pp., 12mo. Bifolium. The text of the letter is on the verso of the last leaf and recto of the first, with the central two pages each carrying a neat list, in double column, the first of 'Bivalves' and the second of 'Univalves'. Pinned at the head of the first page of the letter is an advertisement cut from a newspaper, reading: 'A DANISH COLLECTOR OF SHELLS | wishes to exchange Fine Specimens of Land and Freshwater Shells from Denmark, with Specimens from England and other places. Refer to DR. O. A. L. MORCH, Zoological Museum, Copenhagen.' Brown expresses his willingness to 'exchange specimens', explaining: 'The locality in which I chiefly reside is not very favourable for Collecting Land & freshwater mollusca but I spend a few days yearly in dredging and collecting on our Western Coasts and I append (overleaf) a rough note of the Larger Species which I can supply from my cabinet at all times - this list could, I think, in the course of the coming Summer be nearly doubled chiefly by the addition of the smaller species such as Eulina Skenea, Montacuta, Odostomia, Utriculus, etca.' He offers to send 'a parcel such as indicated by this list'. At the foot of the second page of the letter is a third list, this one of 'some of the water species obtainable in this neighbourhood which I usually can supply'.