ダーウィンの「進化論」ノート消える、盗難か　英ケンブリッジ大

【ロンドンＡＦＰ＝時事】英ケンブリッジ大学図書館は24日、「進化論」に関する先駆的な概念や、有名な「生命の樹」のスケッチが書き留められた自然科学者チャールズ・ダーウィンのノートが行方不明になっており、盗難の恐れがあると発表した。（写真は資料写真）
　ダーウィンは１８３７年、英海軍の測量船ビーグル号での航海から戻ると、この革張りのノート２冊にたくさんの書き込みを行った。同図書館は、その価値は何億円にも上るとしている。
　うち一冊には、種の進化における複数の可能性を示す図が記されている。ダーウィンはこの図をさらに発展させたものを、１８５９年の「種の起源」で発表した。
　ケンブリッジ大図書館は２００１年に、このノート２冊が行方不明になっていると報告。今年に入って同館史上最大規模となる捜索を行ったものの、ノートはやはり見つからなかったという。
　学芸員らはノートが「盗まれた可能性が高い」との結論に至ったと、図書館は発表している。
　同館は地元警察に通報。現在、国際刑事警察機構（インターポール）が管理する、盗難被害にあった文化遺産データベース「サイキ」に登録されているという。
　「種の起源」の出版日で「進化の日」の２４日、同館司書がビデオメッセージを公開し、市民に情報提供への協力を呼び掛けた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/11/25-12:49）

Two of Charles Darwin's notebooks containing his pioneering ideas on evolution and his famous Tree of Life sketch are missing, believed stolen, the Cambridge University Library said on Tuesday.
The British scientist filled the leather notebooks in 1837 after returning from his voyage on the HMS Beagle. The library said they were worth millions of pounds.
In one book, he drew a diagram showing several possibilities for the evolution of a species and later published a more developed illustration in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species.
The University of Cambridge's vast library first listed the notebooks as missing in 2001 after they were moved out of the Special Collections Strong Rooms for photography to be carried out there.
They were long believed to have been incorrectly filed within the building, which contains around 10 million books, maps and manuscripts and has one of the world's most significant Darwin archives.
However a major search this year -- the largest in the library's history -- failed to turn up the notebooks.
Curators have concluded the notebooks... have likely been stolen, the library said in a statement.
It said it had informed local police and the books had been listed on Interpol's database of stolen artworks, called Psyche.
The University Librarian, Jessica Gardner, released a video statement appealing to the public to help.
It is deeply regretful to me that these notebooks remain missing despite numerous wide-scale searches over the last 20 years, she said, adding that the library has since massively improved its security systems.
The librarian suggested that former or current library staff, those working in the book trade or researchers could have information.
I would ask anyone who thinks they know of the notebooks' whereabouts to get in touch. Please help, she said.
The appeal was launched on November 24, known as Evolution Day since it marks the date of the publication of On the Origin of Species.