LIFE OF JAMES DWIGHT DANA 



form a new suborder for its sole reception. Lately an 

 allied burrowing genus has been found on the shores of 

 Portugal. To understand the structure of my new cirri- 

 pede I had to examine and dissect many of the common 

 forms, and this gradually led me on to take up the whole 

 group. I worked steadily on this subject for the next 

 eight years, and ultimately published two thick volumes, 

 describing all the known living species. I do not doubt 

 but that Sir E. Lytton Bulwer had me in his mind when 

 he introduced in one of his novels a Professor Long, who 

 had written two huge volumes on limpets. 



" Although I was employed during eight years on this 

 work, yet I record in my diary that about two years out 

 of this time was lost by illness." 



In September, 1854, his Cirripedia work was practically 

 finished, and he wrote to Sir J. Hooker: 



" I have been frittering away my time for the last 

 several weeks in a wearisome manner, partly idleness, and 

 odds and ends, and sending ten thousand barnacles out 

 of the house all over the world. But I shall now in a day 

 or two begin to look over my old notes on species. 

 What a deal I shall have to discuss with you ! I shall 

 have to look sharp that I do not ' progress ' into one of 

 the greatest bores in life, to the few, like you, with lots 

 of knowledge." * 



DARWIN TO DANA 

 Opening the Correspondence 



" DOWN, FARNBOROUGH, KENT, Aug. 12, 1849. 



" I hope that you will forgive the liberty I take in ad- 

 dressing you, but having been in correspondence with 

 Dr. A. Gould, he has advised me to write to you on my 

 present occupation, in order to beg, if it lies in your 

 power, assistance. I have been for many months, and 

 shall for a year or two longer (for my poor health allows 

 me to work but an hour or two daily) be employed on an 

 anatomical and systematic monograph on the Cirripedia. 



* Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, vol. i., p. 395. 

 304 



