British invertebrate zoologist and evolutionary biologist (1847-1929) who received the Copley Medal of the Royal Society in 1913. ALS signed "E. Ray Lankester," three pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.5 x 7.5, University of London, August 9, 1878. Handwritten letter to English botanist and taxonomist Maxwell T. Masters, in part: "Your little girl is a true naturalist and is deserving of all thanks for making a pet of a Roman snail. There is considerable ground for believing that Pulmonate Snails are either self-impregnating or occasionally parthenogenetic. The pond-snail has been isolated and reproduced itself after 2 years. At the same time it is possible that sperm from an earlier copulation had survived even two years. In the case which you report-the first thing is to determine whether the eggs are fertile. If they are-then comes the questions: 1. An earlier fertilisation two years ago? 2. Self-fertilisation? 3. Parthenogenesis? These questions can only be solved by further experiment, for instance isolation from birth or young stage onwards." In fine condition.
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