Reference number | RR/10/68 |
Level | Item |
Title | Referee's report by Edwin Ray Lankester, on a paper 'On the morphology of birds' by William Kitchen Parker |
Date | 26 March 1887 |
Description | Not recommended for publication in the 'Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society'. Respects the author but finds him 'singularly devoid of the power of lucid exposition', with papers devoid of new conclusions or significant observations, with poor reference to the work of others. The title of the paper is not reflected in it's contents. Suggests making it known to the author that papers of this type are no longer printed by the Royal Society. Suggests the section on the development of the wing, if reduced in length, be printed. Refers to work of Miss B Lindsay, whose observation of 'a simple and important fact...has surprised [the author] now that it has been discovered by a young lady...Miss Lindsay observed that the shoulder plate of birds develops on each side in three separate tracts of embryonic cartilage. Professor Parker who published a large work on the shoulder girdle of all classes of vertebrata, had actually overlooked this fundamental fact. Can we consider him a highly competent observer? I fear not'. Refers to work of Miss Johnson. 'I do not hesitate to say that the short, clear, straightforward papers of two young ladies...have done more to advance our real knowledge of the morphology of the Bird's skeleton than all the voluminous memoirs and costly plates published by Prof. Parker'.
Subject: Zoology, Physiology
[Published in the 'Proceedings of the Royal Society of London', 1887] |
Extent | 9p |
Format | Manuscript |
Physical description | Letter on paper |
Digital images | View item on Science in the Making |
Access status | Open |
Related material | DOI: 10.1098/rspl.1887.0015 Vol.42 1887 |
Related records in the catalogue | RR/10/66 |
RR/10/67 |
RR/10/69 |
AP/64/12 |
Fellows associated with this archive
Code | Name | Dates |
NA8247 | Lankester; Sir; Edwin Ray (1847 - 1929); zoologist | 1847 - 1929 |
NA6176 | Parker; William Kitchen (1823 - 1890) | 1823 - 1890 |