skip to content

Darwin Correspondence Project

From William Yarrell   29 July 1845

Ryder Street | St. James

29 July 1845.

Dear Sir,

I have much pleasure in sending you the following report in answer to your enquiries of yesterday— Genus Prionotus, 4 species— Coast of New York 2— Co. of Carolina 1— Co. of Brasil 1—. these are independant of the new species made known by Mr Jenyns under the name of P. miles— from the Galapagos— diag Pritipoma—about 35 species— — India—11

Africa—8 The places are arranged Brasil—6 in the order of the West Ind.—4 number of species Red Sea—2

Chili—1

localities unknown—3

—— Besides the species of Mr. Jenyns—P. cantharina—Galapagos Latilus—4 species— India 1— Isle of France 1— Brasil 1— Valparaisoramme

In this case also Mr. Jenyns L. princeps from the Galapagos—is not included— diag Cossyphus. 15 species— India—10

Red Sea—3

Rio—1

Sandwich Isles—1

—— C. Darwini—Galapagos—not included— Gobiesox 3 species— Freshwater S. Amer—1 (Lepidogaster bimaculatus)— Britain—1

New Zealand—1

—— Besides Mr Jenyns’s G. marmoratus and

—pœcilopthalmus— 1 ramme

If this should not meet your object, let me know how I can mend it.

Yours very truly | Wm. Yarrell. Chas. Darwin Esqr.

CD annotations

crossed pencil
‘Chiloe & Galapagos’ added ink
crossed pencil

Footnotes

The species ascribed to Leonard Jenyns are those collected at the Galápagos by CD (see Fish). CD was evidently interested in the further distribution of other members of the Galápagos genera. In Journal of researches 2d ed., p. 390, he remarked that the Galápagos fish ‘belong to twelve genera, all widely distributed, with the exception of Prionotus, of which the four previously known species live on the eastern side of America.’

Bibliography

Fish: Pt IV of The zoology of the voyage of HMS Beagle. By Leonard Jenyns. Edited and superintended by Charles Darwin. London. 1840–2. [Vols. 2,3,4,9]

Journal of researches 2d ed.: Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of HMS Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. FitzRoy RN. 2d edition, corrected, with additions. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1845.

Summary

Answers CD’s queries about the number and distribution of species in certain fish genera.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-898
From
William Yarrell
To
Charles Robert Darwin
Sent from
London, Ryder St
Source of text
DAR 183: 1
Physical description
ALS 2pp †

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 898,” accessed on 16 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-898.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 3

letter