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Darwin Correspondence Project

To C. S. Bate   10 January [1853]

Down Farnborough Kent

Jan. 10th.

My dear Sir

I see by the Annals. of Nat. History, you have changed your abode;1 I further see that the change has not at all induced a change in your Natural History pursuits.— I write for the chance of your being able to assist me: I am investigating the slight powers of excavation which Verruca strömia (= Clisia striata) possesses; & I am am anxious to obtain specimens, either dry or wet, attached to rocks or other substances (excepting Laminariæ or seaweeds) non calcareous & some (almost equally valuable to me) on limestone rocks for comparison.

The only very few specimens which I have hitherto seen on any rocks, came from Devonshire. Can you aid me? I believe you will kindly be willing to do so, if in your power.—2

Pray believe me, My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Charles Darwin

Have you continued your interesting researches on the metamorphoses of the Cirripedia?—3

Footnotes

The address given in Bate 1852 is Mulgrave Place, Plymouth.
In CD’s discussion of the powers of excavation of Verruca (Living Cirripedia (1854): 512–18), Bate is mentioned as having sent some specimens; he also reported to CD that he could find no impressions on slate rocks from which he had removed specimens of Verruca (p. 514). See also letter to Albany Hancock, 10 January [1853]. Clisia striata is a synonym of Verruca stroemia.
Bate 1851. CD used Bate’s figures of the spermatozoa and larval stages of Balanus balanoides and Verruca strömia for Living Cirripedia (1854): Plate XXIX, p. 670. See letters to Edward Forbes, [1 May – 5 June 1851], and to C. S. Bate, 13 June [1851] and 18 August [1851].

Bibliography

Bate, Charles Spence. 1851. On the development of the Cirripedia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 2d ser. 8: 324–32.

Bate, Charles Spence. 1852. On some Crustacea dredged by Mr Barlee in the Shetlands. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 2d ser. 10: 356–7.

Living Cirripedia (1854): A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia, with figures of all the species. The Balanidæ (or sessile cirripedes); the Verrucidæ, etc. By Charles Darwin. London: Ray Society. 1854.

Summary

Asks if CSB can help him obtain specimen of Verruca.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-1471
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Charles Spence Bate
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Cleveland Health Sciences Library (Robert M. Stecher collection)
Physical description
ALS 3pp

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 1471,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-1471.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 5

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