Ɛpsilon

From W. C. McIntosh   30 October 1881

Murthly. | N.B.

30th Oct. 1881.

My dear Sir,

As soon as I finished the Examinations (Nat. History) in the Edinr. University I perused your most suggestive work on the worms, & I now see how valuable it will be not only to the public—but to men of science, & especially to workers amongst the Annelida.1

So far as I see the ingenuity of the marine worms far surpasses that of the Lumbrici in regard to the powers of boring & the “finish” of their dwellings.2

The tubes formed by the marine annelids are not only complex but beautiful; just as their varied colours vie with those of the butterflies &c.

If you saw the marine annelids at work, you wd. not doubt how easily the earthworm could reverse itself in its burrow.3

I quite agree with your views in regard to the part played by the Lumbrici.4 They likewise play a great part in making the humus on the surface of gravel—as here.

I shall find your work of much service when I return to my favourite British Annelids. At present, as I daresay you know, I am busy with the ‘Challenger’ Annelida, & the work is serious. I shall have abt. 100 4to plates. Sixty are already engraved.5

Enclosed is a note which may be interesting to you. Kindly return it after perusal. Prof. Crum-Brown, F.R.S, is Prof. of Chemistry in the Edinr. University.6

Again thanking you for your valued gift—which I cherish much,

Yours sincerely | W. McIntosh.

Chas. Darwin, Esq.r of Down, | L.LD., F.R.S &c &c

P.S. | The Edin. chair of Natural History will soon be vacant, and I shall probably once more try for it.7

1
McIntosh’s name is on CD’s presentation list for Earthworms (see Appendix IV). McIntosh had published the first part of his monograph on British marine annelids in 1873 (McIntosh 1873–1922).
2
Lumbricus is the genus of earthworms. Among the Annelida, many marine species in the class Polychaeta are boring or tube-dwelling.
3
In Earthworms, p. 117, CD had noted that worms must be able to turn around in their burrows, adding that such a movement ‘would be a difficult feat’.
4
In Earthworms, p. 313, CD had concluded, ‘It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organised creatures.’
5
McIntosh’s ‘Report on the Annelida Polychaeta collected by by H.M.S. Challenger, during the years 1873–1876’ (McIntosh 1885) was published in 1885; there were ninety-four plates.
6
The enclosure has not been found. Alexander Crum Brown had been a professor of chemistry at Edinburgh since 1869 (ODNB).
7
In the event, McIntosh became professor of natural history at St Andrews in 1882 (ODNB). CD wrote a testimonial for Edwin Ray Lankester for the professorship at Edinburgh (see letter to E. R. Lankester, 31 October 1881 and n. 1).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-13443,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-13443