My dear Sir

I have looked over my M.S. on the Pedunculated Cirripedes & I find I could get it ready for press in a fortnight. But I cannot see that this would be of any use until the engravings are completed, for I could not correct the press without proof-sheets of the engravings to give references to. I find from enquiry that to have preliminary finished drawings of all the specimens would be a great & absolutely useless expence: a mere outline is required, & all the details can be put in from the specimens themselves.

The first point, as it appears to me, is for the Council to settle how many 8.^vo Plates they will give me: I believe from 7 to 10 would be sufficient, but it would take up much time for me to settle positively before hand, as I hardly can tell the exact scale which some of the drawings ought to be done on; & therefore I hope that the Council will give me that much margin, viz 7 to 10 & I will pledge myself not to put one figure in which I do not think very desirable.—¹

Secondly, I must know, to what extent the Council w^d like the figures coloured; I think about half would be much improved by colour.

Thirdly I wish to know whether the Council will employ M^r G. B. Sowerby Jun^r to etch the Plates for me; I am very anxious on this head, as he has already made some drawings for me & I see understands the subject.—

Fourthly; I could send, if desired by the Council, a specimen Plate to M^r Sowerby to show him size of Plate & of figures & of the fullness of the Plate, & then M^r S. could send in an estimate of price of Engraving per Plate, or in whatever manner estimates are usually sent in.—² It will I presume take some little time before these points can be settled by the Council or yourself, & it so happens that it w^d be particularly inconvenient to me to commence on this job until I have finished what I have now in hand, which will take-up 3 or 4 weeks; but if the Council will be so good as to authorise me to set M^r Sowerby to work, I will do so before the end of November, & at the same time get my M.S. complete so as to go to press, as soon as ever I get proofs of the Plates from M^r Sowerby.—

I hope you will be so kind as to endeavour to get these preliminary points settled, & let me hear the result.— I am sorry to trouble you with so long a letter, but I did not know how to make it shorter, not being acquainted with the routine of the Ray. Soc:.— I hope, hereafter, not to be so troublesome.—

Pray believe me | My dear Sir | Your’s sincerely | C. Darwin To D^r. Lankester | &c &c.

P.S. | I am not sure whether the Council understands, that by the present division, the Systematic Section will be in two Parts, the first small & the second fully twice as large; and a Third Part not very large on the Anatomy, Habits Range &c.³