Letter

to

Summary

C. G. Ehrenberg would like some earth from Galapagos, Tierra del Fuego, and the Falklands; wishes to hunt for Infusoria.

Transcriptionf1

Down. Bromley Kent

Saturday night.

My dear Sir

I hope you will excuse me troubling you again, I have heard through a friendf2 from Ehrenberg, that he wants some earth from the Galapagos to hunt for Infusoria,f3 & he suggests that perhaps a little may hang to the roots,—I fear not, but would you kindly look, & if you can shake any off, send it me.— Ehrenberg further is anxious for any earth or more especially peat from T. del. Fuego or the Falkland Islands.— I had specimens of peat, showing the process of its formation, by plants like Astelia &c &c, I do not know whether they were sent to you— I fear they are probably lost,—but I daresay a little peaty earth could be shaken off some of the little peat-loving plants of T. del. Fuego.—

I know you will not grudge some little trouble for so great a naturalist as Ehrenberg.

Pray believe me | Yours very sincerely | C. Darwin

Footnotes

f1
Dated from the letter to Ernst Dieffenbach, 25 January 1844, and on the assumption that CD would have written to Hooker immediately.
f2
Ernst Dieffenbach.
f3
Eventually described in Ehrenberg 1853.

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