From Hugh Cuming 28 July 1845
80 Gower Street | Bedford Square | London
28th July 1845
My dear Sir
I was out on Saturday when your letter arrived, otherwise I would have answered it by that day’s post—
The word Oniscia is correct—and Stylifer, is also correct—1 I did not find either of these Genera in the Pacific Ocean they are both to be found in the West Indies— Oniscia is found also in China (two or three Species)— Stylifer is found in the Philippines and the Mauritius and according to Turton2 it is also British.
I have never seen a Monoceros any where but on the West Coast of America and the Galapagus Islands I have seen upwards of 50 parcels of Shells from the Sandwich Islands, but never one of the family amongst them. there is a constant Trade between those Islands and California, and no doubt they might have been carried there by Sailors pay no attention to the information you have gained from Books—
I have never found any of the following Genera, which I found both at the Galapagus and the West Coast of Americ⟨a⟩ in the Pacific Ocean, nor have I ever received them, from any Collector, viz: Fissurella, Monoceros, or Cancellaria
Should you require any further information, I shall be most happy to give it, if in my power.
I remain my Dear Sir | Very truly yours | H Cuming C Darwin Esqre
Footnotes
Bibliography
Journal of researches 2d ed.: Journal of researches into the natural history and geology of the countries visited during the voyage of HMS Beagle round the world, under the command of Capt. FitzRoy RN. 2d edition, corrected, with additions. By Charles Darwin. London: John Murray. 1845.
Turton, William. 1840. A manual of the land and freshwater shells of the British Islands. Edited by J. E. Gray. London.
Summary
Discusses names and distributions of Pacific shells. [Lists by CD and Edward Forbes record names and ranges of shells collected by HC in the Galapagos.]
Letter details
- Letter no.
- DCP-LETT-897
- From
- Hugh Cuming
- To
- Charles Robert Darwin
- Sent from
- London, Gower St, 80
- Source of text
- DAR 205.3: 267, 268
- Physical description
- ALS 2pp, lists 8pp † (by HC & CD)
Please cite as
Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 897,” accessed on 28 March 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-897.xml
Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 3