From Herbert Spencer 11 November 1874
38 Queen’s Gardens | Bayswater W
11 Nov. 74
Dear Darwin
Unless I am mistaken you have somewhere given the story of a dog which, on a breezy day, growled when he saw an opened umbrella moved by the wind. I want to make use of the instance, but cannot find it. Can you tell me where it is?1
I yesterday referred to your work on the Cirrhipedia for the purpose of seeing whether you said anything about their sensitiveness to passing shadows. I find that you have noted it in respect of individuals in the water with their cirrhi expanded.2 You do not say, however, that it is noticeable with those which are left exposed by the retreating tide, and which, having their valves but loosely closed, close them tightly when a shadow is cast on them. Have you ever observed this?3
Sincerely yours | Herbert Spencer
Footnotes
Bibliography
Descent: The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin. 2 vols. London: John Murray. 1871.
Living Cirripedia (1851): A monograph of the sub-class Cirripedia, with figures of all the species. The Lepadidæ; or, pedunculated cirripedes. By Charles Darwin. London: Ray Society. 1851.
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.
Spencer, Herbert. 1876–96. The principles of sociology. 3 vols. London: Williams and Norgate.
Summary
Wishes to know where, in his works, CD refers to some particular behaviour in dogs.
Mentions the sensitivity of cirripedes to passing shadows.
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-9716
- From
- Herbert Spencer
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- Bayswater
- Source of text
- DAR 177: 233
- Physical description
- LS 2pp
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9716,” accessed on 18 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9716.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22