62 EVOLUTION [CHAP. II 



Letter 26 what makes me run on so, but I have been working very 

 hard for the last eighteen months on the anatomy, etc., of the 

 Cirripedia (on which I shall publish a monograph), and some 

 of my friends laugh at me, and I fear the study of the 

 Cirripedia will ever remain " wholly unapplied," and yet I 

 feel that such study is better than castle-building. 



Letter 27 To J. D. Hooker, at Dr. Falconer's, Botanic Garden, Calcutta. 



Down, May loth, 1848. 



I was indeed delighted to see your handwriting ; but I 

 felt almost sorry when I beheld how long a letter you had 

 written. I know that you are indomitable in work, but 

 remember how precious your time is, and do not waste it on 

 your friends, however much pleasure you may give them. 

 Such a letter would have cost me half-a-day's work. How 

 capitally you seem going on ! I do envy you the sight of all 

 the glorious vegetation. I am much pleased and surprised 

 that you have been able to observe so much in the animal 

 world. No doubt you keep a journal, and an excellent one 

 it will be, I am sure, when published. All these animal facts 

 will tell capitally in it. I can quite comprehend the difficulty 

 you mention about not knowing \vhat is known zoologically in 

 India ; but facts observed, as you will observe them, are none 

 the worse for reiterating. Did you see Mr. Blyth 1 in Calcutta ? 



1 Edward Blyth (1810-73), distinguished for his knowledge of Indian 

 birds and mammals. He was for twenty years Curator of the Museum 

 of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, a collection which was practically 

 created by his exertions. Gould spoke of him as " the founder of the 

 study" of Zoology in India. His published writings are voluminous, 

 and include, in addition to those bearing his name, numerous articles in 

 the Field, Land and Water^ etc., under the signature Zoophilus or Z. He 

 also communicated his knowledge to others with unsparing generosity, 

 yet doubtless the chief part of his " extraordinary fund of information " 

 died with him. Darwin had much correspondence with him, and always 

 spoke of him with admiration for his powers of observation and for his 

 judgment. The letters to Blyth have unfortunately not come into our 

 hands. The indebtedness of Darwin to Blyth may be roughly gauged 

 by the fact that the references under his name in the index to Animals 

 and Plants occupy nearly a column. For further information about Blyth 

 see Crete's introduction to the " Catalogue of Mammals and Birds of Burma, 

 by the late E. Blyth " in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 

 Part II., Extra number, August 1875 ; also an obituary notice published 



