166 THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 



Charles Darwin, F. R. S., the Great English 

 Naturalist 



On February 12, 1809, Charles Darwin was born 

 at Shrewsbury, England, grandson of Erasmus Dar-. 

 win, M. D., and son of Robert Darwin, F. R. S. — 

 Abraham Lincoln was born on the same day. On 

 December 27, 1831, he sailed away on H. M. Ship 

 Beagle, as naturalist, for a survey of South America, 

 returning to England, October 2, 1836, from circum^ 

 navigating the earth. His entire life was devoted to 

 scientific researches and writing of his deductions from 

 his observations and from reliable records, made by 

 many other men. Among other works, his "Voyage 

 of a Naturalist" is a beautiful work; his ''Jc^^rnal of 

 Researches into Geology and Natural History of the 

 various Countries visited by H. M. S. Beagle ;" the 

 "Zoology of the Voyage ;" and his "Geological Obser- 

 vations on South America" are of great interest and 

 benefit to us all. 



His "Origin of Species ;" and "The Descent of 

 Man," contain many deductions, made from breeding 

 various domesticated pigeons, other birds and animals,) 

 and are of priceless value to all students who seeic 

 understanding along the lines of his discussions. On 

 plants and their powers he left many valuable hints 

 and interesting comments upon their sex characteristics 

 and their principal life-work. 



His contention that the various species of plants 

 and animals, instead of having been each specially ere-' 



