To C. S. Bate   10 January [1853]

Down Farnborough Kent

Jan. 10th.

My dear Sir

I see by the Annals. of Nat. History, you have changed your abode;1 I further see that the change has not at all induced a change in your Natural History pursuits.— I write for the chance of your being able to assist me: I am investigating the slight powers of excavation which Verruca strömia (= Clisia striata) possesses; & I am am anxious to obtain specimens, either dry or wet, attached to rocks or other substances (excepting Laminariæ or seaweeds) non calcareous & some (almost equally valuable to me) on limestone rocks for comparison.

The only very few specimens which I have hitherto seen on any rocks, came from Devonshire. Can you aid me? I believe you will kindly be willing to do so, if in your power.—2

Pray believe me, My dear Sir | Yours sincerely | Charles Darwin

Have you continued your interesting researches on the metamorphoses of the Cirripedia?—3

1
The address given in Bate 1852 is Mulgrave Place, Plymouth.
2
In CD’s discussion of the powers of excavation of Verruca (Living Cirripedia (1854): 512–18), Bate is mentioned as having sent some specimens; he also reported to CD that he could find no impressions on slate rocks from which he had removed specimens of Verruca (p. 514). See also letter to Albany Hancock, 10 January [1853]. Clisia striata is a synonym of Verruca stroemia.
3
Bate 1851. CD used Bate’s figures of the spermatozoa and larval stages of Balanus balanoides and Verruca strömia for Living Cirripedia (1854): Plate XXIX, p. 670. See letters to Edward Forbes, [1 May – 5 June 1851], and to C. S. Bate, 13 June [1851] and 18 August [1851].

Manuscript Alterations and Comments

1.7 (almost equally valuable to me)] interl
1.7 limestone] after del ‘rocks’
2.1 very few] interl

Please cite as “DCP-LETT-1471,” in Ɛpsilon: The Charles Darwin Collection accessed on 5 June 2025, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/dcp-data/letters/DCP-LETT-1471