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Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle

literary work first published in parts between 1838 and 1843

Manuscripts, fine bindings, an engraving plate and preserved performance ephemera
Arts and lettersInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionAug 11, 2025
Entity authorityQ375946 ↗
Source-derived summary

The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle Under the Command of Captain Fitzroy, R.N., during the Years 1832 to 1836 is a 5-part book published unbound in nineteen numbers as they were ready, between February 1838 and October 1843. It was written by various authors, and edited and superintended by Charles Darwin, publishing expert descriptions of the collections he had made during the Beagle voyage.

Part 1. Fossil Mammalia (1838 – 1840), by Richard Owen (Preface and Geological introduction by Darwin)

Part 2. Mammalia (1838 – 1839), by George R. Waterhouse (Geographical introduction and A notice of their habits and ranges by Darwin)

Darwin also contributed notices of habits and ranges throughout the text of Mammalia and Birds, and the text of the Fish and the Reptiles included numerous notes by him that were mostly taken from his labels. The authors of these parts were as follows:

Part 3. Birds (1838 – 1841), by John Gould

Part 4. Fish (1840 – 1842), by Leonard Jenyns

Part 5. Reptiles (1842 – 1843), by Thomas Bell

For a small additional fee the publishers sold the completed work bound, in five volumes, and later bound in three volumes, the first incorporating Parts 1 & 2, the second Part 3 and the third Parts 4 & 5. An example of this arrangement can be seen in the catalogue entry for the copies held at the State Library of New South Wales.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle” as literary work first published in parts between 1838 and 1843. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Zoology, Voyage and Beagle.

Editorial reviewA useful identification and reception guide that helps separate the work itself from editions, performances, ownership and later interpretation. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1832, 1836, 1838, 1843—that can be checked directly. The authority record carries competing date values—1838, 1843—which should remain separate until their references and qualifiers are resolved. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Zoology, Voyage and Beagle providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle”, the useful work is to connect “literary work first published in parts between 1838 and 1843” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Object files, edition statements, performance records and contemporary criticism preserve different stages of the work’s history. The source revision retrieved here is dated Aug 11, 2025. The linked authority identifier is Q375946. None of the 2 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1832, 1836, 1838 and 1843.

Critical limits

Titles can refer to several editions, objects or performances, making precise identification essential before interpretation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Separate the work, its editions or performances, and its later reception. Catalogue records, publication histories and object files often preserve different parts of that story.

Best used for
  • Identifying works and editions
  • Tracing reception history
  • Finding collection records
Verify next

The original object or edition, catalogue raisonné, performance record, rights file and holding institution.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle primary sources, Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle archive and Zoology research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle”?
  2. Which edition, object, performance or recording is being described?
  3. How did later circulation or interpretation alter the work’s reception?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Beagle” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.