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From the Ray Society   [after 7 October 1850]1

209. Resolved that the Secretary2 be requested to ask Mr. Darwin if he would agree to the publication of his work3 in parts, commencing with the Pedunculated cirripeds & their illustrations with the systematic & anatomical portion relating thereto4

1
The letter has not been found but it was recorded in the minutes of the Ray Society council meeting held on 7 October 1850. The text given here has been taken from the minutes. Thomas Bell chaired the meeting, and it is recorded that ‘Messr s Busk, Henfrey, Yarrell, Newport & Lankester’ were present.
2
Edwin Lankester, secretary since 1844. CD had been a member of the Ray Society since 1845 (Correspondence vol. 3, letter to Edward Forbes, 13 May [1845], n. 5). His letter to Darwin has not been found, but for CD’s reply see letter to Edwin Lankester, [18–22 October 1850].
3
According to the minute book, CD had offered his work to the Ray Society in January or February 1848 (minutes of council meeting, 4 February 1848). The offer had been accepted by the society on 18 February 1848.
4
CD evidently complied with this request. Living Cirripedia (1851, 1854) was published in two volumes, the first in 1851 (the pedunculated cirripedes) and the second in 1854 (the sessile cirripedes and Verrucidae).

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-1361,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-1361