Vol 25, no 3, October - The Linnean Society of London

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THE LINNEAN SOCIETY OF LONDON Registered Charity Number 220509 Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BF Tel. (+44) (0)20 7434 4479; Fax: (+44) (0)20 7287 9364 e-mail: info@linnean.org; internet: www.linnean.org President Secretaries Council Dr Vaughan Southgate BOTANICAL The Officers and Dr Sandra D Knapp Prof Pieter Baas Vice-Presidents Prof Richard Bateman Dr Mike Fay ZOOLOGICAL Dr Andy Brown Dr Sandra D Knapp Dr Malcolm Scoble Dr John David Dr Keith Maybury Dr Terry Langford Dr Malcolm Scoble EDITORIAL Prof Geoff Moore Dr John R Edmondson Dr Sylvia Phillips Treasurer Mr Terence Preston Professor Gren Ll Lucas OBE COLLECTIONS Dr Max Telford Mrs Susan Gove Dr Mark Watson Dr David Williams Executive Secretary Librarian Prof Patricia Willmer Dr Ruth Temple Mrs Lynda Brooks Conservator Financial Controller/Membership Assistant Librarian Ms Janet Ashdown Mr Priya Nithianandan Mr Ben Sherwood Special Publications Building and Office Manager Honorary Archivist and Education Manager Ms Victoria Smith Ms Gina Douglas Ms Leonie Berwick Communications Manager Office Assistant Conservation Assistant Ms Claire Inman Mrs Catherine Tanner Ms Lucy Gosnay THE LINNEAN Newsletter and Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London ISSN 0950-1096 Edited by Brian G Gardiner Editorial .............................................................................................................. 1 Society News ............................................................................................................ 1 Library .............................................................................................................. 4 Book Review ............................................................................................................ 9 Charles Darwin, Live at the Linnean! (extra event) ............................................... 10 In the footsteps of Charles Darwin on Tierra del Fuego ........................................ 11 The Shadow of Perfection ...................................................................................... 27 Darwin’s Lichens .................................................................................................... 36 Obituaries ............................................................................................................ 52 Minutes of the 221st Anniversary Meeting ............................................................ 59 Taxonomy and Biodiversity Lectures ..................................................................... 67
THE LINNEAN 2009 VOLUME 25(3) 1 Editorial This issue marks the 150 th anniversary of the publication of the On the Origin of Species (24 th November) and contains three articles, two of which were commissioned. The first article gives a graphic account of Darwin and his encounters with the hunter-gathering people of eastern Tierra del Fuego. Apparently he could not believe that such wretched savages belonged to the human race! Later he noted that their language was inarticulate “according to our notions” and describes their wigwams as being the size of a haycock, thatched on one side and used only for a few days since they were nomadic hunter-gatherers, compelled to wander from spot to spot. The article concludes with a short note on the differences between Bates’ and Darwin’s approach to the human dimensions of their experiences in South America. The article on Darwin’s lichens recounts how they came to light and then sets them in their correct historical and geographical perspective (Acharius – Linnaeus’ last student recorded 906 species in 43 years). Darwin, with his collection of lichens, proved to be the catalyst of Southern Hemisphere Lichenology, not only collecting from Tierra del Fuego but also from the rain forests of Chiloé and the Chonos archipelago. Darwin’s lichens were sent to Kew where Hooker made use of them in his Flora Antarctica. Finally, Darwin also collected three new lichen species on the Galapagos. The third article points out that the theory of evolution by Natural Selection is the keystone of modern life sciences. It later traces the impact Darwin had on the fixity of species, an idea which goes back to Linnaeus himself who used it in his search for a ‘Natual Classification’. It then deals with the problem of perfection in living organisms and the implication of stasis. From there it confronts the struggle for existence and the relationship between genotype and phenotype, not terms used by Darwin although he was well aware of the importance Natural Selection had for/on ontogeny. The article concludes with Paley’s watch and earthworm activity. This issue also contains the Minutes of the Anniversary Meeting 2009 plus, as usual, news from the Executive Secretary and the Library. In addition there are three obituaries of Fellows who have died recently and a review of the English translation of Musa Cliffortiana – Clifford’s Banana plant. I have to remind you that this is the last issue of The Linnean for this year. Next year (and thereafter) there will be only two issues – in March and September – but Pulse will be circulated in the gaps. BRIAN GARDINER Editor Society News By the time this issue of The Linnean is published, we will be almost at the end of Darwin 200! We will, however, still have one of the most significant dates within the year to look forward to. November 24 th 2009 marks the 150 th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species, a volume that challenged and changed many people’s thinking and continues to create debate today!
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Vol 25, no 3, October - The Linnean Society of London

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