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Darwin Correspondence Project

To the British Museum   21 February 1879

Down, | Beckenham, Kent. | Railway Station | Orpington. S.E.R.

Feb. 21st 1879

Having read many of Mr. R. Bowdler Sharp’s papers on Ornithology, & from several interviews with him at different times, I have been led to to form a high opinion of his knowledge of this branch of Natural History. I am further convinced that he is zealous to a quite unusual degree in the cause of Science.—1

Charles Darwin

Footnotes

1
This letter is a testimonial for Richard Bowdler Sharpe for the post of assistant keeper of Zoology at the British Museum; see letter to R. B. Sharpe, 21 February [1879]. Sharpe’s publications included a monograph on kingfishers and a catalogue of diurnal birds of prey (Sharpe 1868–71 and 1874). In 1868, he provided CD with information on kingfishers; see Correspondence vol. 18, Supplement, letter from Osbert Salvin, [1868?], and Correspondence vol. 16, letter from R. B. Sharpe, 5 August 1868. CD had supported a previous application by Sharpe for promotion at the British Museum; see Correspondence vol. 22, letter to R. B. Sharpe, 24 November [1874].

Bibliography

Sharpe, Richard Bowdler. 1868–71. A monograph of the Alcedinidae: or, family of kingfishers. London: the author.

Sharpe, Richard Bowdler. 1874. Catalogue of the Accipitres, or diurnal birds of prey, in the collection of the British Museum. London: Printed by order of the Trustees.

Summary

Letter of recommendation for Richard Bowdler Sharpe, ornithologist.

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-11893
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
British Museum
Sent from
Down
Source of text
Wellcome Collection (MS.7781/1–32 item 17)
Physical description
ALS 1p

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 11893,” accessed on 16 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-11893.xml

letter

Darwin Correspondence Project
darwin@lib.cam.ac.uk

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