252 LONDON AND CAMBRIDGE. ^ETAT. 28. [1837. 



C. Darwin to L. Jenyns 



* 



36 Great Marlborough Street, 



April loth, 1837. 



Dear Jenyns, 



During the last week several of the zoologists of this place 

 have been urging me to consider the possibility of publishing 

 the * Zoology of the Beagle's Voyage ' on some uniform plan. 

 Mr. Macleayt has taken a great deal of interest in the sub- 

 ject, and maintains that such a publication is very desirable, 

 because it keeps together a series of observations made re- 

 specting animals inhabiting the same part of the world, and 

 allows any future traveller taking them with him. How far 

 this facility of reference is of any consequence I am very 

 doubtful ; but if such is the case, it would be more satis- 

 factory to myself to see the gleanings of my hands, after hav- 

 ing passed through the brains of other naturalists, collected 

 together in one work. But such considerations ought not to 

 have much weight. The whole scheme is at present merely 

 floating in the air ; but I was determined to let you know, as 

 I should much like to know what you think about it, and 

 whether you would object to supply descriptions of the fish 

 to such a work instead of to ' Transactions.' I apprehend 

 the whole will be impracticable, without Government will aid 

 in engraving the plates, and this I fear is a mere chance, only 

 I think I can put in a strong claim, and get myself well 

 backed by the naturalists of this place, who nearly all take a 



* Now Rev. L. Blomeficld. 



\ William Sharp Macleay was the son of Alexander Macleay, formerly 

 Colonial Secretary of New South Wales, and for many years Secretary of 

 the Linnean Society. The son, who was a most zealous Naturalist, and 

 had inherited from his father a very lai^ge general collection of insects, 

 made Entomology his chief study, and gained great notoriety by his now 

 forgotten Quinary System^ set forth in the Second Part of his ' Horae En- 

 tomologicae,' published in 1821. — [I am indebted to Rev. L. Blomefield 

 for the foregoing note.] 



