RECORD: Darwin, C. R. et al. 1877. [Memorial] Zoology of the 'Challenger' Expedition. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4th ser. 20 (July): 79-80.
REVISION HISTORY: Text prepared and edited by John van Wyhe. RN2
NOTE: See record in the Freeman Bibliographical Database, enter its Identifier here. See the relevant letters and notes pertaining to this memorial in Correspondence vol. 25. The memorial was also published in Nature, (14 June): 118, F2003. It will be noted that the signatories are not identical and that Nature was in fact the first publication of the memorial.
[page] 79
"Zoology of the 'Challenger' Expedition.
To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History.
As in a letter upon this subject in the number of the Annals of Natural History for May last Dr. P. Martin Duncan,1 writing as president of the Geological Society, has stated that he speaks 'at the instance of a very considerable number of members of learned societies,' we, the undersigned, wish to state that we do not agree in the strictures passed by Dr. Duncan upon the manner in which Sir C. Wyville Thomson has distributed the specimens collected by the 'Challenger' Expedition for description.
So far as we have had an opportunity of judging we are perfectly satisfied that Sir C. Wyville Thomson, in the arrangements which he has made as regards these collections, has acted consistently with the best interests of science.
It was, in our opinion, Sir C. Wyville Thomson's duty to secure the aid of the most competent naturalists without regard to their nationality; and, even if it were proper that national jealousies should be imported into science, Sir C. Wyville Thomson can hardly
1 Peter Martin Duncan (1824-1891), physician, invertebrate palaeontologist and president of the Geological Society of London, 1876-8. Duncan 1877.
[page] 80
be reproached on this score, when it is considered that two thirds at least of the naturalists whose aid he has obtained are Englishmen.
GEO. J. ALLMAN.
GEO. BUSK.
WILLIAM B. CARPENTER.
CHARLES DARWIN.
FRANCIS DAY.
H. E. DRESSER.
W. H. FLOWER.
A. H. GARROD.
F. DuCANE GODMAN.
Jos. D. HOOKER.
T. H. HUXLEY.
ST. GEORGE MIVART.
A. M. NORMAN.
OSBERT SALVIN.
P. L. SCLATER.
TWEEDDALE.
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 24 August, 2023