CORRESPONDENCE WITH CHARLES DARWIN 



I have the use of Mr. Cunning's, Mr. Strickland's, Mr. 

 Sowerby's, British Museum, and Jardin des Plantes collec- 

 tions, all placed at my disposal, and many other private 

 collections. 



" It is my earnest wish to make my monograph as per- 

 fect as I can. Can you lend me any species collected 

 during your great expedition ? They would be most 

 valuable to me whether named or not, for I describe the 

 animal of every species and disarticulate the shells. If 

 you would pay me so great a compliment as to entrust 

 any specimens to my care, I would pledge myself to re- 

 turn them carefully to you. Even well-known species 

 are very interesting to me, if localities are given accu- 

 rately. I am bound to state that I require to separate the 

 valves of one specimen of every species, but I preserve 

 them pasted on board. Characters, I find, drawn solely 

 from the outside are quite valueless, and the systematic 

 condition of the Cirripedia is one of chaos. I find that 

 by soaking I can examine the animal pretty well in dried 

 specimens. I believe it is generally admitted that the 

 Cirripedia have been much neglected, and I hope that 

 my work may be of some small service. If you can and 

 are willing to assist me, I shall feel truly grateful. I 

 trust that our common pursuits and attachment to the 

 good cause of natural history will excuse my thus 

 writing to you." 



DARWIN TO DANA 

 On the Cirripedia 

 " DOWN, FARNBOROUGH, KENT, Oct. 8, 1849. 



" I am sincerely obliged to you for your very kind let- 

 ter and the information sent. I am sure from what you 

 say that had it been in your power you would have as- 

 sisted me with specimens. I was not aware that you had 

 attended to the Cirripedia, otherwise I would have had 

 greater scruple in applying to you. Yours was indeed a 

 grand voyage, and your range of research a wide one. I 

 have always felt much interested in regard to your classi- 

 fication, etc., of the corals. I dissected enough to see 

 what a generous field there was open. Indeed, I had in- 

 tended working on the subject, but my miserable health 



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