34 THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION 



is ever widely enough acquainted with the animal 

 world to classify all the specimens gathered on such 

 an expedition. In accordance with custom, Darwin 

 began distributing his collections among specialists. 

 Each of these was to identify and describe, to name, 

 if necessary, the kind of material he knew best. 

 Among others, Darwin had a considerable collection 

 of barnacles gathered from boats and wharves in all 

 parts of the world. As he could find no one suffi- 

 ciently acquainted with these creatures to classify 

 them he decided reluctantly to work them up him- 

 self. For about eight years much of his spare time was 

 given to this painfully exacting work. He expresses 

 himself as fearing it was a waste of time. Few sys- 

 tematic workers will agree with him. He did his work 

 so well that it has been unnecessary for anyone to do 

 it again. In addition it gained him the esteem of a 

 new circle of scientists and that a decidedly exclusive 

 circle. 



The publication of these books did much for Dar- 

 win. His narrative of the voyage gained the good 

 will of cultured England in general. The book on 

 coral reefs won the geologists. His "Manual of the 

 Cirrhipedia" (as the barnacle book was called) se- 

 cured the attention of systematic zoologists. The 

 time was not far distant when he would need every 

 aid possible toward gaining and keeping the regard 



