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Darwin Correspondence Project

To Francis Darwin   [c. 27 July 1874]1

[Abinger Hall, Surrey.]

I have been roughly examining Utricularia minor—2 same essential structure,— but catches smaller Entomostraca,3 & nothing else as far as I have seen.— One bladder had 24, another 20, & another 15 Entomostraca— What slaughter! We must make out the functions of the beast— I have thought of several other dodges. But you will be too happy to care about Utricularia now, so my dear son & daughter,4 farewell | C. D.

Footnotes

1
The date is established by the relationship between this letter and the letter to John Price, 27 [July 1874].
2
CD and Francis were studying Utricularia vulgaris (common bladderwort); CD had been trying to acquire other species of the genus (see letter to J. D. Hooker, 16 July 1874). He had just received the specimen of U. minor (lesser bladderwort) from John Price (see letter to John Price, 27 [July 1874]).
3
Entomostraca was formerly the name used to refer to all crustaceans other than Malacostraca (Leftwich 1973).
4
Francis married Amy Ruck on 23 July 1874 (Emma Darwin’s diary (DAR 242)).

Bibliography

Leftwich, A. W. 1973. A dictionary of zoology. 3d edition. London: Constable.

Summary

Has been examining Utricularia minor. Same essential structure but catches smaller Entomostraca. One bladder had 24, another 20, and another 15 Entomostraca. "What slaughter! We must make out the functions of the beast––".

Letter details

Letter no.
DCP-LETT-9565A
From
Charles Robert Darwin
To
Francis Darwin
Sent from
Abinger Hall
Source of text
DAR 271.4: 7
Physical description
ALS 1p inc

Please cite as

Darwin Correspondence Project, “Letter no. 9565A,” accessed on 25 April 2024, https://www.darwinproject.ac.uk/letter/?docId=letters/DCP-LETT-9565A.xml

Also published in The Correspondence of Charles Darwin, vol. 22

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