Sir,

At a recent meeting of one of the Committees of this Union a resolution was passed requesting me to prefer a request to you, but before doing so I desire as briefly as I can to say a few words about the Union.¹

The first number of the Midland Naturalist gave an account of the origin & formation of the Union: the enclosed paper is a copy of that account.² The Union now consists of 23 Natural History Societies in various parts of the Midland Counties.

The Council (consisting of two delegates from each of the societies) has had under consideration for some time past how best to foster original work among the 3000 members of the Union; and at the last meeting (at Northampton) they submitted a proposal for the establishment of an annual Prize. The idea was warmly approved of & the Management Committee were directed to consider the subject & were empowered to carry the proposal into effect if they should think it desirable to do so.

At a meeting of this Committee held at Birmingham on Thursday last D^r. T. Wright FRS (Cheltenham)³ in the chair, on the motion of M^r Lawson Tait FRCS it was unanimously resolved to offer a Medal or Prize of the value of £10 annually for the best local observations upon any subject within the Scope of the Societies in the Union, & the Subjects to which contributions shall be limited for the next three years were fixed to be 1881 Geology, 1882 Biology, 1883 Archæology.— It is desired to afford as much liberty as possible & hence it was settled that the Prize may be awarded to any paper contributed by a member of the Union which shall during the year have been printed in the journal of the Union (the Midland Naturalist) or which before a day to be fixed shall have been sent in for publication.

The following resolution was then unanimously passed:—That the Hon Sec be requested to ask M^r Charles Darwin for permission to use his name for the Prize and in the event of consent being given that the Prize be called “The Darwin Prize”.

It is for the purpose of making this request that I have troubled you with this letter; and I can assure you it will be a source of much gratification & encouragement to my Committee if you will yield your consent. In the event of your doing so it is our intention to have a Medal struck bearing your portrait for presentation to those who prefer a gold medal to the amount of the prize in money.⁴

I have the honour to subscribe myself | Sir Your obed. Servant | Edward W Badger | Hon Sec

Charles Darwin Esq., FRS &c